Guardian's Guardian
by Dragoncl
Summary: Even heavenly guardians need help from time to time. A look at Hitsugaya's and Matsumoto's relationship from their first meeting to the end. Hiatus
1. At the Beginning

**Author's Note:** Hey guys. This is my first time posting anything on here. So tell me how it is. Constructive Criticism more than welcome. Sorry for any grammar and spelling mistakes.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bleach. Wish I did, but don't. It belongs to the wonderful Tite Kubo.

***Edit***

Hey! I finally got around to fixing the mistakes int his chapter thanks to toushiro1310 who was kind enough to beta for me. I hope its easier to read and more enjoyable without all the mistakes.

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**At the Beginning**

Matsumoto Rangiku didn't even try to hide the curse that passed through her lips.

Damn hollows had kept her out all night after they appeared in the forests near the edge of the eightieth district, the farthest place from Seireitei. They hadn't been more than some lower level hollows, but the amount that had wandered into Soul Society had kept her busy for most of the night. The sun was high in the sky when she finally made it back to the more decent areas of Rukongai. It didn't take a genius to tell she was wasn't in the best of moods.

At least she had gotten away from the leering stares of the drunks and could walk around without worry about having something stolen from her by the homeless brats that roamed the streets of the outer districts. Now all she wanted was to return back to her room in the tenth division and get some well earned rest and maybe a few glasses of sake.

The marble walls of Seireitei had never looked better to the strawberry-blond. Too tired to push herself into another shunpo after the hundreds she had already preformed to get this far, she dropped down on the top of one of the thatched roofs of the first district. Several citizens looked up at her in surprise, many carrying bags full of goods. Venders shouted out at the shoppers, each trying to sell their wares. She had obviously landed in the middle of one of the market places. Smiling down at one of the children who had noticed her and was staring with wide eyes, she hopped down from the roof and began the walk back to Seireitei.

One of the students of the Academy raced past her, long ponytails flying behind her. Matsumoto smiled and watched the girl as she disappeared in the crowd. She could remember her time in the Academy, even if it was almost a century since she had graduated and become an official shinigami. Now she was working her way to the top of the tenth division, already the fifth seat.

Her thoughts were disrupted as her eyes landed on a small tuft of silver hair. It wasn't the color of the hair that caught her attention, there were enough old people in Soul Society for the color to be almost the standard, but it was the owner's age. The boy couldn't be more than nine years old, nearing a hundred in human years. He was talking with one of the venders, exchanging a bag of food for the money he held in his small hand. Waiting patiently for the change, he watched patiently as the vender placed the coins on the counter beside his open hand.

Matsumoto gritted her teeth. The fool. What kind of person was so rude as to completely ignore one of their costumers? "Hey!" The entire street turned to look at her, wondering what the outburst had been about. Ignoring the looks, the blond stomped up to the counter behind the boy. " Dropping the change on the counter, is that anyway to treat you costumers," she demanded of the man. Eyes widening, the boy turned to see who had defended him. Matsumoto hid a chuckle as his short stature placed his face right into her chest. His body went flying backward with the force and he groaned as his head smacked into the counter, a trickle of blood flowing from his nose from the collision with the hard wood.

Muttering a short curse, he crumbled to the ground, holding his injured head between his small hands. Stepping past the boy, she glared at the man behind the counter. "Think you can get away with it because he's a kid or something? Who would have thought you could possibly be so rude!" The man stepped back in fright at her ire and held his hands up in surrender.

"I'm.... I'm sor... sorry ma'am. It... it won't happen again." Scoffing, Matsumoto turned away from the pathetic man to find the boy still cradling his injury. Frowning, she bent down and roughly grabbed the back of his kimono. He tensed in response, hands flying to dislodge the hands from his clothing. Rolling her eyes, she easy lifted his small body into the air and held him in front of her, staring sternly down at him. She was surprised when the boy returned the expression with more power than she'd ever be able to accomplish even with the tears of pain collecting in his eyes.

Bringing her forehead up to his, she scoffed again."And _you_, don't just lie there crying about it! If you're a man, you should stand up for yourself, little one!" It didn't matter that she couldn't picture the boy as a man, or that she had contradicted herself in that sentence. All that mattered was that the boy had now wiped away the tears forming in his eyes and glared at her with ice-cold eyes.

"You're the one you knocked me down! And I wasn't crying!" He struggled in her grip, legs kicking out at her, but her arm length was longer than his legs'. "Get off," he screamed, putting as much authority into his voice as possible. It was almost cute. Opening her mouth for another reprimand, Matsumoto froze. The reiatsu in the air twisted and lashed out with such intensity that the strawberry-blond had to double-check to make sure there wasn't a captain or vice-captain in the area. The energy was displaced and replaced with a freezing reiatsu so strong she felt her stomach turn. What bothered her the most was the raw energy was spilling from the enraged boy.

" I said get off!" Realizing she wasn't paying attention, the boy forced her hand away with the back of his and landed on the ground in a crouch. He quickly grabbed the dropped bag of food, and in a second, was half-way down the road, disappearing into the crowd.

"Ah! Hey! Wait right there!" Her hand was helplessly extended toward in the direction the boy had run. Her mind churned at what she had just felt. There was no way such a young boy could have such a powerful reiatsu. Yet, that energy had definitely been coming from that skinny boy. Her interest piqued, all thoughts of returning to Seireitei vanished.

Finding a little stand where she could get a much-needed bottle of sake, she asked around about the little boy with white hair. Of course, it wasn't that hard to find something about him. He stood out like a sore thumb. It turned out he hadn't been living in Rukongai for long. He lived with one of the old women in a small neighborhood in the first district. There was another girl who used to hang out with him, but she had joined the Shinigami Academy five years ago. She came back to visit every so often and could be seen around the village.

By the time she made it to the area in the first district she had been told about, the moon was already rising into the velvet sky. However, everyone had failed to mention which house the boy lived in. Sighing in frustration, the blond decided to wait it out on one of the roofs. The boy would have to either pass her on his way back to the market or would let some of his reiatsu slip. The reiatsu she had sensed earlier had been raw energy without any kind of control over it. Eventually, the boy would get emotional enough to let enough reiatsu slip for her to sense.

Senses stretching, Matsumoto dozed, feeling the soft purring of Haineko against her waist. The zanpakutou would tell her when there was a spike in the spiritual pressure around them. Of course it was just as she curled up for a nap that Haineko growled for her attention. The warning wasn't needed, as the sudden shift was enough to instantly pull her from her daze. Even after only feeling it once, she would know that chilling reiatsu anywhere. Jumping to her feet, a quick shunpo left her in front of the house where the boy and his adopted grandmother lived.

Haineko issued a warning growl in the back of her mind as she stepped up the door. The air around the house was freezing, her breath coming out in puffs of fog. The fifth seat knew it would be worse once she opened the door. Taking a deep breath of the frigid air, she slid open the door and rushed into the room. Ice covered the walls and floor, giving everything a glassy, crystalized look. Drawing in a ragged breath as her lungs protested at the cold, she followed the increasing amount of energy into another room.

Two figures lay in the center of the room, surrounded by a mini blizzard. The old woman shivered from the cold, wheezing as her frail lungs tried to take in the turbulent air. Groaning, she coughed and Matsumoto froze as blood splattered to the ground. Gritting her teeth, the blond squinted to see past the flying ice shards. Damn kid was freezing the old woman. Grasping Haineko's hilt, she pulled the sword from the sheath at her waist. "Growl, Haineko." The weapon glowed softly before disintegrating into a cloud of ash. The particles moved to form a shield around their wielder as the fifth seat carefully crept toward the pair.

The temperature dropped another ten degrees when she closed in on the sleeping figures. Shards of ice the size of her arm slammed into Haineko's shield, but the razor-sharp particles easily took care of the wayward projectiles. The boy moaned and turned, the storm picking up in ways Matsumoto didn't know it could. The wind raced around her, pulling her shoulder-length hair and clothes in every direction. The ice increased in size and speed, Haineko flying around her to keep her from harm. Even so, smaller spears made there way through Haineko's defenses and embedded in her arms and face. A stray shard skimmed over the grandmother's arm, blood leaving a smear on the floor.

Ignoring the wounded senior, Matsumoto knelt by the troublesome boy. His face was contorted with pain and confusion, his limbs thrashing at some unknown opponent. Taking a deep breath, the blond gathered her remaining reiatsu and forced it on the boy. His body shook as the foreign energy clashed with his unruly reiatsu. His breathing became shallow and he gasped for breath. "What the hell...?" The fifth seat looked up in surprise, but found the boy still asleep. The storm began to die down as the boy continued to growl under his breath. The ice slowly vanished, leaving no trace of its existence besides the cold. The old woman shivered under her blankets, her shoulder wound still bleeding. Waiting until the boy completely calmed down, Matsumoto bent over. She had never been good at medical kidou, but she could heal minor cuts like the one the grandmother had sustained. Her reiatsu flowed into the wound, forming new skin over the cut. Letting out a sigh, the shinigami looked over at the currently peaceful boy.

He was the picture of peace. His face calm and cherubic, still retaining some of its baby fat. His abnormal white hair fell into his closed eyes and shifted as his chest rose with each breath. Matsumoto shook her head. The kid was far too much trouble, and now her superiors were going to lecture her about her tardiness. Great, more work.

Shuffling over to a corner, the blond leaned against the wall, wishing she had a good bottle of sake right now.

_He's a dragon._

Raising a golden eyebrow, the blond looked at the boy again. "I think you might have taken one to many hits back there. Look at him, what about him really screams 'dragon' to you?" The cat growled in irritation.

_His reiatsu. It takes a practiced eye to spot it, but it's there._ Matsumoto rolled her eyes at her zanpakutou's lack of modesty. _This little episode was most likely caused by his zanpakutou revealing itself to him._

"Already?" The shinigami blinked, turning to look at the sleeping boy."But he's so young. He hasn't even had training yet."

_There was definitely the presence of a dragon in this room. My hair is still on edge from it. _The cat grumbled and was silent for a moment. _That amount of spirit energy is too great to go uncontrolled like this._ _Someone can't be here every time he loses control._ _He'll have to learn to control it for his own good._ The woman nodded and her zanpakutou was quiet for the rest of the night. It was another hour after he had calmed down that the boy moaned. Tensing, ready to stop the kid form covering the room in ice again, Matsumoto walked over to the lithe figure.

There was a gasp and small eyes opened to reveal huge teal eyes. Leaning over him and smiling, she gave a quick salute as the boy tried to even his breathing. "Hey!" Recognizing her, he quickly let a glare settle over his features.

"Why, you..." he turned himself over and propped himself up with his arm. The glare on his face disappeared for a second as surprise flittered across his face. "... from before." A smile tugged at her lips as the child tried to act like he was in control of the situation.

"Your reiatsu, stop leaking it everywhere and get some sleep." The boy seemed genuinely surprised at her order and looked ready to argue. "Your grandmother looks pretty cold." His expression froze and he agilely sat up and turned to see the old woman sleeping next to him. His teal eyes widened as they landed on the shivering woman and on the blood streaked on the floor. His voice caught in his throat as he stared with a disbelieving expression. Good, he understood the severity of the situation.

Straightening, Matsumoto put her hands on her hips and sighed. "Kid... you should become a shinigami." Several emotions flashed across his face for the briefest second, too fast for her to identify any of them, before his face became cold and calculating.

"What?" Taking a deep breath- she had been up for far to long to stay patient and friendly with the boy- she turned away from those smoldering green eyes. This wasn't going to be easy if the brat could easily give her a look she only received from her superiors.

"Kids with powers as strong as yours need to know how to bring that power under control." Not knowing what his reaction would be, she tried to keep her voice level. "You know, if you stay like this, you'll end up killing that grandmother of yours with that power soon enough." The air in the room suddenly drooped to the same cold that had permeated the house hours ago.

The boys face twisted with rage before he pushed himself to face the blond. "What are you..." Feeling her head begin to pound form the lack of sleep, Matsumoto gritted her teeth. This would be a long shot, but if Haineko was right, it should convince the boy to do what was necessary. Crouching down in front of the white-haired boy, she placed two long fingers on his chest. The pale exposed skin was soft and gave off a slight chill. The contact seemed to stop the boy from demanding an explanation as he looked at her in surprise.

"You hear a voice calling out, right?" The boy stiffened and watched her with wide eyes. "Once you properly discover that voice, you'll understand how to control it, but that means becoming a shinigami." She knew her eyes must look hard and uncaring from the partially concealed horror in the boy's eyes. She hadn't meant to scare the kid. Sighing for what felt like the umpteenth, she scolded herself for her uncharacteristic behavior and let her expression soften. "I'll only say it once more. Kid, you should become a shinigami." Pushing herself to her feet she looked down at the dumbstruck boy. Smiling at him, she turned to leave.

"Hitsugaya Toushirou."

Pausing, Matsumoto peaked over her shoulder, a golden brow raised in confusion. "What?" Sighing in irritation and rubbing his temple, the boy half-heartedly glared at her.

"It's not 'kid'. It's Hitsugaya Toushirou." He crossed his frail arms across his chest and watched her expectantly. Chuckling, she nodded. The kid had definitely spunk.

"Nice to meet you Toushirou- kun. I'm Matsumoto Rangiku." Looking him directly in the eye, the blond grinned. "See you in Seireitei." The boy just nodded and watched her with calculating eyes as she closed the door behind her.


	2. Headstrong

**Author's Note:** Sorry if this has been popping up and then disappearing. Still trying to get used to the controls. -- I think I finally got a hang of it. More action in this chapter and this time it's not just novelization of the manga. Hope you all enjoy. Standard diclaimers apply.

***Edit***

Just fixing mistakes. Thanks to toushiro1310 for betaing.

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**Headstrong**

The air was unusually warm for this early in the morning. Matsumoto took a deep breath of the air, relishing in the warmth. She had always preferred warmer temperatures. The promise of a comfortable day after the long months of unnaturally cold winter added an extra bounce to her step as she turned down a street to one of the Seireitei's more secluded training grounds.

The Academy's graduating class had joined the Gotei 13's ranks yesterday, and the blond couldn't help but be annoyed at the little buggers. No amount of sake was going to make that pile of paperwork on her desk disappear, she'd tried. If she had known being promoted to third seat also meant more paperwork, she would have stayed as a fourth seat. Arranging training sessions seemed like heaven compared to the detailed assessments awaiting her.

She wound through the maze of streets and buildings, the path memorized centuries ago. The woman let her thoughts wander as her feet followed in their set path. Time seemed to slip away, meaning nothing to the third seat as she walked. Before she realized it, the sun was beginning to chase away the darkness and she had reached the rusted gate that blocked the entrance to the training field. With her mind still drifting, she pushed open the gate without a sound.

Matsumoto could never understand why no one ever came here. It was peaceful and quiet. A bit out of the way, but a shunpo could easily overcome that problem. The area was boxed in by Seireitei's famous marble walls with a small rock formation near the edge surrounded by a radius of five feet of grass. Water trickled down the rock and collected into a deep pool at its base, the water always kept cool by the dark shade of the tree next to it. The hard dirt beneath her feet didn't make any noise as she padded over to the center of the field.

Haineko slid from her sheath with a soft hiss and balanced perfectly in her hands. The hellcat purred in her mind as she took a deep breath. The silver of her zanpakutou caught the first rays of the sun as it finally revealed itself in the horizon. It had become a habit to sneak out here early in the morning to practice her kata. She was fairly sure the vice-captain knew about her morning activity, and the fact that he hadn't reprimanded her for skipping work only encouraged her. Smiling, she started the beginning move of her kata.

Haineko growled a warning before she could even raise her arm.

Freezing, mind working to discover what had set the hellcat on edge, Matsumoto stretched her senses for any sign of reiatsu. Her golden brows furrowed as she felt the small flame of spiritual pressure. The owner had impeccable control over their reiatsu, that much was certain. She wasn't the best at detecting reiatsu, but masking it so much that she wasn't able to sense anything when the person was no more than twenty feet from her was something she had thought only captains capable of doing. Dropping her sword to her side, she turned to face her companion. Haineko mumbled something about 'curiosity killing the cat', but went ignored as Matsumoto carefully walked over to the tree.

In the shade, the comfortable warm weather dropped to the usual cool morning temperature. She shivered from the cold and the eerie feeling that poked at the back of her mind. As her eyes adjusted, the third seat blinked to make sure her eyes were not deceiving her. No, there was no one here. Frowning in frustration, she put her hands on her hips and looked up. Lo and behold, a shadowy figure sat cross-legged on one of the higher branches, back leaning on the thick trunk.

"Hey!" The figure jumped and a muffled yelp cut through the air. There was a scrambling sound and the figure twisted on the branch, falling from their perch. Matsumoto winced as a small body crashed onto the ground with a heavy thud. A second later a sword landed next to the person's head, clanging at the abuse. Groaning, the boy pushed himself onto his elbows and glared at her.

"What was that f..." The boy's mouth opened and closed as he tried to form words. Matsumoto didn't have that particular problem though.

"It... it's _you_!" The blond had to keep herself from laughing. This is exactly how their last meeting in Rukongai had been nine months ago. His snow-white hair was longer and fell messily into his turquoise eyes. He was still short- the top of his head only mid-chest on her- and lanky, but his thin limbs were entwined with lean muscles. The annoyed scowl, which she had yet to see him without while conscious, reminded her of men twice his age. She would never be able to forget the troublesome, icy child. "Toushirou -kun!" The boy yelped again as the blond bent down and enveloped him in a massive bear hug.

He struggled and thrashed against her hold, pushing at her arms with his small hands. "Get off!" This time, she couldn't keep the laugh from escaping her lips. This was just like that time in Rukongai. "What is wrong with you? Let me go!" Haineko chuckled as she continued to crush the writhing boy against her chest. The kid eventually realized there was no escaping her in the near future, stopped struggling, and settled for folding his arms across his chest and glaring at her over his shoulder.

The temperature dropped another ten degrees with that glare, and the third seat wasn't surprised to find her arms going numb with the cold. The boy really was an ice cube! Distracted with the cold, her gripped loosened and Toushirou slipped from her grasp, getting out of arms' reach before turning to face her, arms still crossed and glare in place. Matsumoto couldn't help but smile. He was absolutely adorable!

"What are doing out here Toushirou -kun? I don't think they let Academy students roam around the divisions." The scowl on the boy's face deepened as he rolled his eyes.

"They don't. I'm not in the Academy idiot." The blond blinked, choosing to forgo anger at being called an idiot by a kid for confusion at his statement.

"What?" Another eye roll and an exasperated sigh came from the boy as he regarded her with calculating eyes.

" I'm not in the Academy anymore. I graduated yesterday." It wasn't until then that she noticed his clothing. He was dressed in the standard shinigami uniform, crisp new black robes and white undergarments. The sheath for his zanpakutou was strapped to his back by a worn cord of rope. Realization dawned on her, her eyes widening as she stared at the boy. He refused to break her gaze, his scowl firmly in place.

"You... You're the one everyone's been talking about? The genius?" His scowl darkened, scorn for the title evident in his clear eyes. It didn't make any sense. He had such a high and unruly spiritual pressure when she had met him and now he had the control of a captain after graduating the Academy in nine months. What else could he but a genius? A smile pulled her lips into a grin. Understanding dawned in his eyes too late for his attempts to escape to make a difference. Her arms latched onto him again, drowning him in her chest. "Oh Toushirou -kun! That's amazing! Why didn't you tell me," she whined, pulling him closer. "What division did you get into? You have to come visit me! I'll teach you everything you need to know. I'll..."

"Matsumoto -san" The sound of her name made her stop her excited rambling, a rush of joy consuming at her as he remembered her name. The scowl hadn't vanished from his face, but his eyes held barely suppressed amusement. "It's Hitsugaya."

A pout formed on her lips as she set him down and watched him re-sheath his sword. "Oh you're no fun Toushirou -kun." She crossed her arms under her chest. The brat just rolled his eyes and walked past her. "You need to lighten up a little." The buxom woman turned and her eyes landed on the zanpakutou strapped to his small back. A feral grin crossed her features as she gripped Haineko in her hand, the cat growling in excitement. Her reiatsu flared as she preformed a shunpo, flashing to just in front of the boy. Her weapon glistened in the sun as she swung it in a wide arc.

There was a clash of metal and teal eyes studied her past the crossed blades. How had he moved so quickly? She had been expecting him to dodge, not meet her attack head on. His lips formed a snarl as he put his weight against his sword. "What are you doing? Are you insane?"

"Come one Toushirou -kun. You need to have some more fun!" The white-haired boy seemed unimpressed with that explanation, clearing still questioning her sanity. "Think of it as a friendly sparring match between new division- mates." His snowy eyebrows quirked at that and his lips twitched with a suppressed smile. Taking that as an affirmative, Matsumoto pushed off his sword and faced the boy when she was ten feet away. Rolling his eyes, Toushirou crouched into a defensive stance, watching her with intelligent green eyes.

"If it will get you to leave me alone." She grinned at him in response, the kid was asking for it now. Time to see just how much of a genius he really was. Haineko growled low in her throat as the third seat followed his movements. The sun sent streaks of light across the dusty ground, and as if waiting for some unknown signal, the two flung themselves at each other. Metal clashed again as he blocked a swipe at his arm, twisting his blade to fend off hers. She backpedaled to avoid his thrust and brought Haineko up to block the overhand strike aimed for her shoulder.

She had to give him credit, he was fast and his strikes were aimed with deadly accuracy. In a few years, his swordsmanship would be top-notch if not unbeatable. But she wasn't about to be beaten by a newly graduated shinigami, even if he was considered a genius. Using her larger height and weight, she threw herself at him, forcing him to hold the sword with both hands as he blocked her swing. His thin arms shook with the task of trying to keep her from breaking through his defenses.

A smirk flashed across his features, and Matsumoto's eyes widened as the reiatsu twisted and the boy in front of her disappeared. A sudden rush of displaced air warned her of his sudden appearance behind her. Throwing herself away from the blow, the blond slid across the dirt, blocking the oncoming attacks. Cursing her lack of speed and flexibility, the third seat ducked beneath a strike and swung at Toushirou's exposed flank. The broadside of Haineko rammed into his ribs, a strangled gasp escaping his lips.

A small foot slammed into her shoulder and she felt her back scraped against the rough ground. Groaning and sitting up, she found her opponent. The white-haired boy was trying to remain standing, but he was slowly curling around the pain in his side, his free hand gripping the offended area as he gasped for air. A smirk pulled at his lips. "You're good." A smile flitted across her face.

"You too." The bruise on her shoulder and raw skin on her back were a testament to that. "I wouldn't expect any less from the Academy's new boy-genius." The smirk transformed into a scowl as the boy straightened, hands grasping the hilt of his sword with white knuckles. She noticed how sweat had begun to form on his brow, but his breathing had never been strained until her hits. Was he that in tuned with his zanpakutou that it had begun to affect his body temperature that drastically? Rising to her feet, the woman shot him a concerned glance.

He noticed and his eyes darkened. Guess that meant he didn't want to stop. Stubborn kid. Haineko mumbled something about dragging the match on long enough, but Matsumoto disregarded it as the hellcat's laziness. The cat had been happy about the current lack of work in the field. The sudden use must be driving her crazy. Swords clashed again, sparks flying from the impact.

The third seat deflected his blade, twirling around the incoming thrust. The boy ducked beneath her wild swing and the sound of cloth tearing resounded throughout the silent arena. Matsumoto frowned as the bottom of her sleeve floated to the ground. Kid was getting closer with his strikes. It wouldn't be long until he landed a hit. Hitsugaya brought this sword in for another hit. Powering reiatsu to her feet, the third seat ducked into a shunpo, the sword missing her arm by inches. A grin crossed her face at the surprised look on the boy's face. He might have excellent control over his reiatsu and his sword, but she had been the best at shunpo in her class, nowhere near as good as Kuchiki- taicho, but enough to make usual shunpo seem slow.

White brows furrowed in confusion and annoyance as Toushirou turned to face her again. He flashed into a shunpo and she barely had time to block and parry. Metal blurred as the speed of his attacks increased and she was pressed to defend. She felt the tip tear through the black cloth of her robes at her shoulder and weight from the sleeve disappeared. Jumping away from a thrust meant to impale his stomach, Toushirou readjusted his grip on his zanpakutou.

Matsumoto couldn't help the sigh of relief that passed through her lips. The boy was definitely no pushover. All for the better. He was going to need that confidence and determination to get past the prejudices he was going to experience for his age and inexperience. She had felt several of those prejudices herself and knew how bad they could get. Fire bubbled up inside the strawberry-blond at the thought of how much harder he was going to have to work to gain the respect he rightly deserved. He was too young to have to deal with the politics involved with the Gotei 13.

She glanced up at her opponent. The boy was watching her with intense, intelligent eyes. His harden expression had been placed over his features again, masking his thoughts. The third seat couldn't help but feel pity slither into her stomach. He had already experienced those biases and overcome them with flying colors. But what had he given in exchange? Her heart clenched as she the answer blatantly presented itself to her. His childhood had been cast aside in order to protect and prove himself to others. He had exchanged all thoughts of carefree afternoons and no responsibilities for the strength to rise above others' expectations. Haineko purred in approval, congratulating her for finally realizing the cat's message that night nine months ago. There was no weak and helpless child before her, but a proud and ageless being.

She stood in the presence of a dragon. A dragon who was yearning for its freedom to fully stretch its wings.

And she would make sure he got the chance.

"Growl Haineko." The hellcat's excited growl resounded throughout the silent morning air as her sword shattered and took on the form of a giant cat. Hitsugaya blinked in surprise but quickly rolled to side as the materialized cat leapt at him. A smirk pulled at his lips as he faced the released zanpakutou. Matsumoto couldn't stop the shiver that ran up her spine. The reiatsu shifted and was replaced with wintry air that had been ingrained into her heart.

"Sit upon the frozen heavens Hyourinmaru!" There was roar like nothing she had ever heard before and dark clouds swirled overhead. The water in the atmosphere collected and twisted into the shape of a lithe dragon circling the boy's head. The wind picked up as the dragon lunged at the cat, freezing water washing away the ash particles of her zanpakutou.

The raging stream of water changed direction with a flick of Hitsugaya's wrist and the dragon moved to circle Matsumoto. The air was displaced as the boy exited a shunpo and stood before her. The blond leveled her gaze to meet blazing turquoise. The cold touch of steel pressed lightly against her neck, but she ignored it.

"Bested by a graduate Rangiku- san? I thought the point of these morning sessions was to improve your swordsmanship." The voice made her start, the tip of Hitsugaya's sword leaving a thin trail of blood on her neck. The boy instantly sheathed the weapon and crossed his arms as the intruder made their presence known. Matsumoto chuckled and grinned up at the newcomer.

"Yet I can probably still beat you." The man laughed as he dropped from the roof and onto the dusty ground.

"That time didn't count. I was hopelessly drunk and could barely see straight." The strawberry-blond laughed as memories of the duel flashed through her head. "Now who's the one who beat my third seat?"

"Hitsugaya Toushirou. I'm sorry. I didn't know I was taking Matsumoto- san from her duties Hohaku- fukutaichou." Hohaku's teeth flashed in the morning sun as the white-haired boy bowed. He was a tall man with slick black hair pulled into a ponytail at the base of his neck. The tenth division's badge was secured to his muscular arm by a white sash and shined in the light. Leave it to Hitsugaya to already know the vice-captains and their names.

"I guess that explains it." The vice-captain placed his hands on his hips and smiled down at the boy. "Hitsugaya Toushirou huh? The Academy's boy-genius." He held out his hand, which Hitsugaya shook hesitantly. "Congratulations on your graduation and promotion. Ukitake- taichou will treat you good. You've got your work cut out for you though, with Ukitake sick and no vice-captain. I think the third seat is the hardest job in the thirteenth division truthfully. In fact, I think Ukitake -taichou is looking for you."

"Thank you Hokaku -fukutaichou. Matsumoto -san" With another bow, the kid shoved off the ground and disappeared over the roof the surrounding building. The vice-captain watched him leave, waiting for his third seat to snap out of her surprise.

"He's quite a find. Lots of potential from what I just saw a second ago." The easy smile disappeared and was replaced with a hardened look. "I didn't come to talk about your little bout though. I'll need you to take charge up here for the next week or so Rangiku." The third seat blinked and frowned. "There has been an influx of mid-level Hollow attacks in the human world. They've already taken out two squads. I'll be leading a group to take care of them. I'll need you to look after things while I'm gone." He turned his gaze on her and quirked an eyebrow.

The strawberry-blond nodded in understanding. "Understood sir. Good luck." The man smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you." His face contorted in thoughtfulness as the black-haired man turned to look in the direction the boy had gone. "Also... take care of the boy. We don't get many like him anymore and it isn't going to be easy for him. He'll need someone watching over him." Matsumoto tensed and nodded, fire burning in her grey eyes.


	3. Dawn

Hey! I'm not sure what to think about this chapter so tell me what you think. The next one should be better. Please tell me if I mess up with the honorifics, I'm no Japanese expert.

Oh and I forgot to mention the chapter titles are names of songs. "At the Beginning (With You)" is by Richard Marx and Donna Lewis, "Headstrong" is Trapt, and "Dawn" is by Poets of the Fall. (really nice song, slow, but the lyrics are beautiful)

Standard disclaimers apply. If Bleach was mine, we'd see more of little Shiro-chan.

* * *

**Dawn**

The steaming sake warded off the lingering coldness that seemed to have blanketed her for the last few hours. The warm liquid rushed down her throat and set her veins on fire in the way that was only outmatched by Haineko's presence surrounding her. The hellcat gave a pitiful mew and curled tighter in her chest. Blinking, Matsumoto wiped furiously at her eyes. She would not cry!

Taking another long draft from her bottle, the strawberry-blond laid her head down on Hohaku's desk. No, her desk. He had no need for a desk anymore. Grief pulled at her heartstrings again, but she swallowed the tears before they could reach her eyes. The members of the tenth division didn't need some cry-baby now. They were already suffering from the lack of a captain, they didn't need to deal with a hysterical vice-captain too.

Shoving her emotions away, the strawberry-blond grabbed the stack of papers before her and quickly lost her mind in the work. She had wanted to climb the ranks and prove her worth, but not like this. This was worse than achieving her position in the way the rumors claimed she was. She had wanted to be promoted because of her skill, not because of the death of one of her closest friends and caring vice-captain.

Hohaku's funeral had been beautiful. All of tenth division had shown to pay their regards to the loved and respected vice-captain. The available captains and vice-captains had been present, each offering kind words on the deceased's behalf. His mangled body had been covered in a white shroud with the tenth's markings on it and brought to the burial grounds. Tears were had flown freely that day and the weather had reflected her attitude that night.

It had been two months since they learned of the vice-captain's death. He had left with his squads for two weeks on a simple mission. They had lost contact after the first five days. It took a few more days to gather a rescue team. They had found the missing shinigamis' bloodied and mangled bodies soon after they arrived in the human world. The Hollow who had killed the vice-captain and the others was never found.

The division had been thrown into chaos shortly after the news of Hohkau's death reached Seireitei. They were already down a captain. The loss hit them like a wave crashing against the side of ship, threatening to topple it. Which was exactly what the tenth was trying not to do at the moment. It had taken her days to finally get together the other seated officers to decide what to do. They had agreed that they didn't need new blood coming in to take the position of vice-captain. The division needed as little change as possible. Then someone had given the others the horrible idea. She didn't know who it had been, but she was going to find him and give him a stack of paperwork so big he'd never see the light of day again. The other officers had unanimously agreed and decided she should take the vice-captain exam. No amount of arguing on her part had dissuaded them.

Two months later, she had passed the exam and been given the division's badge. The emblem felt heavy in her hand as she had excepted it. She didn't deserve it. It had belonged to a caring and intelligent man who had left shoes to big for her to even fathom filling. The blond was respected well enough in the division, but no where near to the extent of Hohaku. If the tenth division bottomed out, the blame would be on her shoulders.

The rest of the sake trickled down Matsumoto's throat as her brush traveled across the paper. It didn't feel right, filling out her own promotion papers. This was something the captain was supposed to do. The lack of a captain had never been a problem for her before. It had made their division different from the others, kind of like the thirteenth with their permanently missing vice-captain. However, as she had climbed the ranks, she had realized just how much at a disadvantage they were. She had never given Hohaku the respect he deserved for doing both the job of the vice-captain and temporary captain of the division. If things stayed the same as they were, she would be insane within the year.

Slamming the brush down on the desk, she berated herself for her traitorous thoughts. The division needed her now more than ever. She couldn't let them down. Getting up from the desk, she moved over to the veranda, ignoring the empty captain's desk in the middle of the room as she went. The private garden had always been her favorite thing about this room. Whenever she had been in the room, she had tried to catch glances of the garden as much as possible. It was truly a site to behold.

Thousands of flowers were in permanent bloom, bright colors contrasting with the dark blue of the night sky. Fireflies danced form plant to plant, giving the area an ethereal glow. Delicate daffodils lined the dirt path that led to the center of the garden were a beautiful marble fountain trickled away. Cherry blossoms drifted in the air, twirling in some kind of bizarre dance.

Matsumoto leaned tiredly against the wooden fence of the veranda, looking out over the peaceful scenery. It calmed her in a way that sake never could. She had discovered its effects on her after her first day in the office. She had stayed there, looking out over the lawn, until her eyelids began to droop. The new third seat had found her on the couch the next morning, the farthest she had been able to get before collapsing.

Haineko purred contentedly in her mind, stretching languidly. The cat sniffed the air and sat back on its haunches thoughtfully.** What is he up to?**The newly appointed vice-captain blinked and tilted her head, playing with a piece of lengthening hair.

"Who?" The hellcat blinked, a pink tongue coming to lick its lips. The cat executed the feline equivalent of a shrug and went to cleaning its fur.

**Doesn't matter. Go to bed. You'll have more work to do tomorrow.**

"You mean _we_ have more work." The cat grumbled.

**You're the vice-captain. It's your job. I have my own things to do.**Laying its head on its great paws, the cat watched her lazily through half-lidded eyes. Matsumoto didn't try to hide the frustrated pout.

"You selfish, lazy idiot. There's no way I'm doing it alone. What could you possibly have to do?"

**You wouldn't understand. Zanpakutou stuff.**The strawberry-blond rolled her eyes and stretched her sore muscles. She would rather take on three Menos than sit at that taunting desk for another day.

"Does it have anything to do with this 'he' you were talking about?" The cat growled something that sounded suspiciously like a derogatory comment and sighed.

**Lets's just say that I have my own dragon to worry about.**Matsumoto frowned, teasing her lip with her teeth. Images of a young boy with a shock of white hair and electrifying turquoise eyes with a giant serpentine dragon made of ice and water circling him flashed across her mind.

"Toushirou?"

**The kid is more stubborn than most.** She couldn't figure out if it was annoyance or admiration that colored the hellcat's voice. **He is just as proud as his dragon, pushing himself to the edge in order to prove himself.**The cat scoffed at the idea of extra work and closed its eyes to dose. Matsumoto felt all the exhaustion from the day disappear at the thought of the boy-genius. She felt the cat inside her gently chide her.

She knew her interest in the boy wasn't healthy or professional. Since their first meeting in the market, the boy had always been on the edge of her mind, like a mother constantly worrying about her child. The strong sense of protectiveness she felt for the kid didn't help her predicament any. She visited him as much as possible with the sudden promotion and their differing workloads. Even with the quick meetings, she could tell something had been wrong with the boy during the last week.

The usual sparkle of determination had dulled in his teal eyes. His posture had been bent out of the rigidness he usually carried himself with. Dark rings were smudged under his eyes and hollows had begun to form in his cheeks. Bruises blotched over his pale skin and bandages covered cuts. An air of tiredness had surrounded him like a fog. She had asked him about it, but he quickly dismissed it as a training accident. And of course, she hadn't believed any of it. The stress from the new promotion and the worry for him were threatening to give her grey hairs.

"Do you know what's wrong with him?" She didn't need to explain who she was talking about. The cat looked at her for a moment before shaking its head.

**I do not. I have an idea, but it is not my place to talk about it.** The cat was silent for a moment, before getting up and sighing.**I can tell you where he is right now however. Are you sure you want to go though? You need your sleep.**Matsumoto nodded her head. If she could put her fears to rest, she could concentrate on holding the division together more. The cat sent a picture of their destination into her head and the strawberry-blond quickly slipped into a shunpo.

The movement felt good. After a week in an office, the physical work sent a smile that had been absent for the last two months to her face. Fire racing in her blood, the woman jumped from shunpo to shunpo to get to the clearing the zanpakutou had shown her. Thankfully it was still inside of Seireitei's walls so the trip only took a few minutes. This was one of the few places that had not been cleared when Seireitei was built. The natural beauty of the place to gorgeous to destroy.

The trees were thousands of years old, growing taller than any she's ever seen. Full leaves cast the ground beneath them into shadow. The earth slowly sloped downward into a valley rife with foliage. A wall of rock on the slope opposite her had split open to reveal an underground well. The water rushed over the rocks in a magnificent waterfall at least two hundred feet tall. The glistening water collected in a large pool at the bottom of the cliff. The lights of fireflies rebounded off the water's surface and reflected blue light into the clearing.

Jumping down the cliff, Matsumoto landed with a soft thud on the lush ground. The cool air hit her like sledgehammer, the fire in her blood from the alcohol making the air even colder to her skin. Shivering from the sudden temperature change, she smiled. Oh, he was definitely here. The freezing reiatsu was barely detectable on the other side of the valley, by the waterfall most likely. The boy had an affinity for water. That had been the first thing she had noticed during her short visits with the white-haired genius. The second was that he was workaholic. Disgusting so. The amount of paperwork he went through was dizzying.

Bushes and branches blocked her path, leaving small scratches across her skin as she pushed past them. There was no need to use a shunpo. It would give her away, something she didn't want to do right now. Hitsugaya was up to something and she was going to find out what it was. She would never be able to do that if he knew she was coming. The valley wasn't huge, but it was big enough for him to stop whatever he was doing once he noticed she was here.

Snapping her mouth shut to bit back a curse, the strawberry-blond robbed her stubbed toe and glared at the rock that had hit her foot. Haineko roared in laughter at her clumsiness.** Maybe it wasn't the best idea to go running around the woods when you're half drunk.** **You should have just listened to me and went to bed.**Matsumoto eloquently told the hellcat to 'shut up before I leave you here to rust' before continuing her trek. The sound of rushing water soon filled the forest and a soft blue light shone through the trees. Golden brows quirked at the light.

She had been here a night before with Gin, but the fireflies' light was still a mystery to her.

"What is he up to?" Haineko didn't answer, but she could feel the cat's interest pique. The vice-captain couldn't help but smile. The cat was just as intrigued with the boy as she was. Creeping through the brush, she looked out from behind a tree. The clearing was just as she had remembered it. The beauty was astounding. The rock wall was covered with dark green moss and small plants grew out of the spongy material. The water was a light blue color and thundered down the cliff into a white cloud of mist and tumultuous water. Boulders peaked out of the lake at the bottom.

Her eyes were drawn from the beauty of the clearing to the small figure sitting cross-legged on one of the protruding rocks. The water from the waterfall roared behind him, mist swirling around him and leaving water on his skin. He had shed the top part of his robes and undergarments, pale skin shining in the little moonlight. Matsumoto was surprised at how skinny he really was. The uniform added a few inches to his shoulders and chest. Bones were clearly visible under the thin layer of skin. He looked so tiny, so fragile.

A wave of protectiveness washed over the blond. She had forgotten how young he really was. It was easy to mistake him for just a short old man with the way he acted. Even now, a frown was settled on his face, concentration clear in his features. His hand gripped the pommel of the zanpakutou held vertical with his feet. His mouth formed words so soft she couldn't hear.

The hair on the scruff of Haineko's neck stood on end. The reiatsu exploded outward from the boy, freezing Matsumoto in her tracks and knocking the air from her lungs. Hyourinmaru leapt from the boy, the dragon dipping into the water. The pool exploded outward as the giant serpent jumped from the pool.

The blond felt sweat begin to bead on her brow. This dragon wasn't a partial manifestation made of bits of pieces of ice and water like she had fought. This was the true form of Hyourinmaru. Silver scales were slick and shimmered in the light. Wings made of clear ice beat at the air, whirlwinds twirling across the lake and grass. Rigid spines of ice protruded from its back, all the way form its head to its tail. A head as big as Hitsugaya was raised regally atop the serpentine body. Red eyes quickly glanced around the area before settling on the shinigami.

**Are you ready this time, young one?**The boy nodded and pushed himself to his feet, sword held in front of him. Matsumoto frowned. He wouldn't. This was insanity. It was like small David going against the giant Goliath. Haineko hummed at the blond's frantic thoughts.

**Ah! But young David won.** **Trust the boy. He knows what he is getting into.**The cuts and bruises peppered over Toushirou's body flashed across her mind. Her zanpakutou was right. This wasn't the first time the boy had fought the dragon. Pushing down the worry building in her chest, the vice-captain watched with wide eyes as the dragon smiled a toothy grin and lunged at its wielder.

Hitsugaya jumped out of the way and onto the grassy shore. He caught the dragon's next lunge with his sword, weapon lodged in the jaw of the beast. Pushing away from the razor sharp teeth, the white-haired boy twisted around the next attack and swung at the exposed hide. Before the sword could contact with the hard scales, an icy wing broadsided him and sent him to the ground.

Coughing, the boy wiped his lip and glared at the dragon. The mythical beast chuckled, sounding more like thunder than something comforting. **You do not lack the courage or resolve, but you will need more than that. I am the master of the earth, sea, and sky. It will take much more to claim me.**

"I don't care who you are! I will make you listen to me."

**Then stop holding back! Show me you are worthy of the power I give you!**

"How?" The frustration and exhaustion were evident in his voice.

**You must prove yourself. **Tightening his grip on his lifeless zanpakutou, Hitsugaya released a battle cry and jumped at the dragon. Its lithe upper body easily avoided the attack, but the sword slipped beneath the scales on the tail and dark blood dripped down over the hard scales. The beast's head swung around to tear into the boy. Pushing off the scaly body, the boy executed a tight flip and landed on the ground, ready to attack again. The blood slowly rolled off his blade, dropping into the grass at his feet.

The dragon snapped forward like a snake, to quick for the boy to block. The huge figure crashed into the shinigami, throwing the small body into the rock wall. A gasp escaped his lips and he slid to ground, back ripped raw and bleeding from the treatment. Hyourinmaru stood menacingly over the boy as he pushed himself to his knees. Teal eyes snapped up to look at the materialized zanpakutou. Unfortunately, the hit had place him in a spot where he could easily see her behind the fringe of trees. Matsumoto moved to late to escape detection and she knew it. Green met grey and she knew she was trapped. The dragon's hackles rose for a second before it recognized the intruder. Without another word, the dragon disappeared, leaving the clearing feeling incredibly empty.

"What are you doing here Matsumoto -fukutaichou?" The icy mask had fallen back over his features and she couldn't tell what he thought of her being here. She fought back a wince at the glare sent her way. He obviously wasn't happy to see her. Sighing in defeat, she slipped out from the forest.

"Just taking a walk. Now can you explain what were you doing?" The signature scowl marred his face. Oh well, she wasn't going to back down when he was obviously doing something suicidal.

"Training." She snorted, returned the glare, and watched as he took his clothes from a nook in the rock.

"That wasn't training. That was suicide." He glared at her and tried to hide a wince as he slipped his shirt back on. Her face softened and she gently place a hand on his thin shoulder. "Let met take a look at your back. It looked pretty bad." He wrenched his shoulder from her grasp and turned to retort but stopped. His intelligent eyes scrutinized her face for a second before sighing in defeat.

He nodded quickly and moved to position the wound toward her. Plopping down on the grass, she carefully undressed him and winced at the angry, ragged raw skin. Tearing his undershirt she smiled at the irritated glare he sent her. He was so adorable when he was annoyed. Dipping the ripped cloth in the pool, she lifted the damp piece to his back, carefully dabbing at it. It wasn't much, but it was the most she could do here. Knowing him, he would avoid the fourth division like the plague and probably tend to the wounds just enough so they wouldn't cause him any problems. Stubborn brat.

Finishing cleaning the wound, she took the rest of the undershirt and ripped it into bandages. Hitsugaya waited patiently while she wound the material around his scraped back. When she was done, he quickly pulled his robe back on and hopped up to collect Hyourinmaru from where he had dropped it. "Thank you." It was quiet, barely even a whisper, and she wasn't sure whether he was talking to her or his sword, but she smiled and nodded anyway. It was enough.

Yawning and stretching, the strawberry-blond grumbled as the positive effects of the sake began to wear off and negative effects began. Sleep had already began to form in her eyes as they drooped. What she would give for a nice warm bed right now. Haineko just grumbled about 'idiot wielders' and curled up to dose.

"Why?" The softly spoken word caught her off guard. Blinking at the stoical boy, Matsumoto must have looked like a drunk owl.

"Why what?" Hitsugaya just rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, avoiding her gaze.

"Why do you care?" Her sleep deprived and alcohol sloshed brain took a minute to figure out what he meant. Her lips form an 'o' and a smile pulled at her lips.

"I figured you needed someone. Someone to be there for you when you need it the most. So I volunteered." A blush rose up on his cheeks and Matsumoto couldn't help but squeal. The boy jumped in confusion and got his face buried in her chest again. Strong arms trapped him against her as he struggled and grumbled things that made the knuckle-heads of the eleventh division seem like angels. When she finally let go, he glared at her, but it didn't hold its usual intensity. A grin spread across her face. That was a start.

_I'll need you to look after things while I'm gone. _Hohaku's voice drifted across her mind and she was suddenly lucid. _Also... take care of the boy._ _He'll need someone watching over him._The man had left her to take care of the division, unknowing that it was the last time he would be Seireitei. She was doing everything she could to keep the division standing. That had been her main focus lately, but Hohaku had left her another mission. It seemed small and insignificant compared to holding the division together, but she had just realized how important it really was. And she had been ignoring that duty lately.

Fire racing through her veins she revived the promise she had made to herself. As her vice-captain's last wish, she would make sure Hitsugaya got the chance to reach his potential, if she had to fight tooth and nail to get him there.


	4. Fall to Pieces

Here's another one. I'm enjoying my free time, can you tell? I guess I should be reading Grapes of Wrath instead of writing, but who cares!

These chapters keep getting bigger and bigger. The first one was 2,000+while this one's 4,000+. Yikes, Do they still count as oneshots since they arelong and are more of fic than little random stories?

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. It always gives me more of an incentiveve to write, which I'm definitely going to need once I run out of inspiration and free time. Constructive Criticism is always welcome! I write because I love to and criticism helps me improve so feel free to correct me on spelling and grammatical errors or if it is just horrible.

"Fall to Pieces" by Avril Lavigne. Bleach belongs to Tite Kubo (I probably killed the spelling Sorry!)

Tell me what you think. I command you! (I'm not weird. What gave you that idea?)

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**Fall to Pieces**

"You're so boring Toushirou -kun." Turquoise eyes lifted from their reading to look at the strawberry-blond across from him, white eyebrows lifting in a bemused fashion. The kid was purposely doing this to her. When she had volunteered to help him, she thought she would be out moving around, not being crushed by mountains of books.

"I'm sorry Matsumoto -fukutaichou." He didn't look the least bit sorry about this situation. "I need to find the information though. I need to find out why I'm not advancing in my training." He turned the decrepit page of one of Seireitei's many tomes. "And it's not Toushirou, its Hitsugaya."

"Ever think that Hyourinmaru doesn't want such a boring wielder? Maybe you should loosen up, relax a little. This usually takes ten years, not ten months you know." His glare sent shivers down her spine. Stupid question. Of course he knew. He had probably read every stinking book there was on the subject. Twice! He studied with a dedication that was bordering on an obsession. The vice-captain wasn't entirely sure it was his fault either. From the way he described it, Hyourinmaru's need for freedom had transferred over to him. He had gained the title of genius only because of his _need_ to reach his potential, not his want. He _needed_ the freedom to spread his wings and fly.

Matsumoto disagreed with him though. From what she had seen in the last few months, he deserved the title more than anyone. He thoroughly understood books that took her hours to just understand what the first page had meant, and she wasn't anywhere near being an idiot. The notebook in front of him was full of theories and plans that made no sense to her until he explained them. The boy deserved to reach his goal more than anyone else and she would support him one hundred percent of the way, but all this studying was killingher. "Have you ever thought about doing things the easy way? Spare yourself all this headache." The glare hardened and he returned to reading.

"You don't have to be here you know. I know you have your own work to do. Your division is more important than helping me." He said it in such a matter-of-fact manner that she had a hard time staying in her seat. Damn the brat for sounding so much like her superior.

"Sorry, but you're stuck with me." Her grin threatened to break her face, but she knew he would see past it too her true intentions. He looked up at her, calculating her expression. He sighed in exasperation and turned to face the book again, brush scribbling notes down in the margin of the notebook in his neat, concise handwriting.

"Unfortunately." The grin on her face was genuine as she saw the twitch of his lips. In the last five months since Matsumoto had decided to help Hitsugaya with his training, they had gotten used to each others mannerisms. Glares and insults that had cut into her before had turned into nothing more than a mask to protect the boy from prejudices against his age and height. She had learned the hidden meanings behind his words and movements long ago. There were times when the mask would break and bits of smiles would break through, usually in her presence or that of his childhood friend, Hinamori.

Comfortable silence fell over them as he continued to flip through his book and scratch in his notes while she absentmindedly filled out useless forms for her division. It was pathetic, but she sometimes dreamed of finally getting a captain to dump the load on. Then she could lounge around all day and drink sake. She couldn't remember the last time she had had a drink with Hisagi or her new drinking partners Renji and Kira. The sound of a chair scraping against the floor caught her attention.

Looking up, she saw Hitsugaya quickly and efficiently pilling the books and loose papers. At her questioning glance, he rolled his eyes. "You wanted to get out of here right?" Adrenaline instantly pumped energy throughout her body.

"You figured it out?" The boy met her gaze, but didn't make any comment. The glint of suppressed childish glee was enough for her. She felt giddy. After seven months of training, he might finally do it. He might finally conquer Hyourinmaru and achieve bankai.

"Hitsugaya- kun?" They turned to find a tall man entering the library. His chiseled face was red from running and his breath came in short gasps. A quick glance at the boy next to her told her he knew the man.

"What is it Shichiro?"

"I'm... I'm sorry to disturb you sir, but Ukitake -taicho requests your presence immediately." The look on the boy-genius's face said he would rather be out training, but he was obedient and respectful of his captain. He nodded and the man, Shichiro, seemed to let out a pent up breath, like he afraid to face his third seat's wrath.

"Very well. I'll be right there. Thank you." The man bowed and ran out of the library. One of the attendants came over to them afterward, taking the books from them. Hitsugaya thanked her and walked out into the hall. Once outside, Matsumoto wasn't surprised as some of his reiatsu slipped past his control and caused a chilling breeze to play with her hair. Dragging a hand through his messy hair, he sighed.

"I'm sorry Matsumoto- fukutaichou, but it appears it will have to wait for another day. Thank you for your time." He bowed and walked down the path that would lead him to the thirteenth division.

* * *

The place reeked of antiseptic and blood. Moans and screams of pain jarred her head and set her nerves on edge. Healers jogged past her so often they had become a blur in her eye. Bandages, stitches, IV bags, scalpels, and other bizarre objects she didn't know the use of rushed past her and seemed to taunt her. Biting her bottom lip so hard it bled, Matsumoto glanced at the door next to her. No word yet.

She had gotten news of Hitsugaya's return only a few hours ago. It hadn't taken her long to pull the story out of one of the fourth division's healers. The poor boy didn't stand a chance when she was desperate for answers. Hopefully Unohana- taichou wouldn't hear about that little episode. The master healer could be plenty scary when she wanted to be.

It turned out that Hitsugaya had been sent to the human world with a squad from the thirteenth to find out what was causing the huge reiatsu disturbance that had scrambled the fifth division's radars. They had found a group of Hollow and quickly exterminated them. However, they had failed to notice the Adjucha before it attacked them. The thirteenth's third seat and his squad were currently being tended too in the medical ward.

Pouting and slouching in her seat, Matsumoto scoffed. That was great, but it didn't tell her what had become of her charge. Paperwork had become impossible as he mind kept making up scenarios about the boy's death. Now she had been sitting here for the last three hours, worrying that there wasn't going to be anything left to care for. Haineko berated her for the ridiculous thought, but didn't offer any reassurances.

"Rangiku?" The blond jumped and squirmed to sit up. Righting herself, she looked at who had called her and grinned as much as her nerves would allow. Her visitor obviously noticed the change in her smile, looking at her with slanted eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"Just sitting." Her lips moved into a bigger grin, but there was no emotion behind it. "Why are you here Renji?" The redhead's suspicious look didn't fade at her grin and he frowned.

"I was scheduled for a check-up, but it seems I might have to come back later." He avoided a pair of healers who pushed past him into the room and sat down next to Matsumoto. He sloughed in the seat, arms reaching to cradle his head as he leaned against the wall in the epitome of relaxation. A true smile pulled at her mouth. Typical Renji. "Any idea what's going on, since you've been here 'just sitting'." He looked at her out of the corner of his eye, evaluating her.

The woman fought back the sigh that would give her away in a moment. "A squad came back from a mission. Everyone's pretty beat up. That's all I've heard so far." She hid the wince. Oh, how she hated not knowing what was going on! It was a new kind of torture that was slowly killing her. The man made a non-committal sound and closed his eyes.

"And the squirt was leading it wasn't he?" Grey eyes widened and the blond sat straight in her chair, head whipping around to look at the man slouched next to her. The reaction seemed to give him the answer he wanted as he hummed in acknowledgment.

"How did you know?"

Renji pushed himself up and looked at his interlaced fingers in his lap. "You've been watching that kid like a tigress watching her cubs. It's only natural that after he disappears for a week and then you suddenly show up in the fourth division that something must have happened to him." Not knowing how to answer, Matsumoto leaned back against the wall and stared at the ceiling.

"They haven't told me anything. I don't know if he's fine or hurt or dead, and its driving me insane." She sighed in frustration and crossed her arms over her large chest. Renji looked at her for a second before turning to look at the healers still running around the complex. Silence fell over the pair as they listen to the movement in the other room.

"You don't have to worry about him you know." Sitting up, the strawberry-blond stared at her drinking partner. He didn't face her, dark eyes staring out at the garden outside. "He joined my class two months before graduation. The first thing he made clear was that he wasn't going to take any crap from anyone." He finally met her eye, a sparkle in his black depths. "The kid can take care of himself. He's not going to let some stupid Hollow get the better of him." Getting up and stretching, he smiled his cocky grin at her and waved good-bye, bumping into a disgruntled healer on his way out.

Smiling softly at his retreating form, she shook her head and closed her eyes. _You better not die on me Toushirou, or I'll be forced to fine your reincarnation and kill you myself. _Haineko chuckled at the thought, sending mental pictures of her going on a rampage in the human world. Mirroring her zanpakutou, Matsumoto chuckled and watched the small fountain in the garden.

"Matsumoto- fukutaichou?" Unohana stood in the opened doorway, smiling gently at her. "You can come in if you wish." Jumping to her feet so quickly she almost flashed the poor boy walking past, the vice-captain rushed into the room.

The room was dim, all emergency operations over. Twelve men lay in the beds lining the walls, most asleep. The healers slumped tiredly against the wall and the soft hum of life-support machines filled the room. A quick glance around the room found the thirteenth's third seat at the back of the room, talking quietly with Ukitake. Taking it as a good sign, Matsumoto followed Unohana over to the bed.

Hitsugaya's quiet voice quickly whispered a report to his captain, giving enough detail to make the man wince in sympathy. The boy didn't seem to notice though. His eyes were glassy, probably from pain killers, and he had a hard time focusing. He was stripped down to his waist, torso covered in clean bandages. He had a swathe of material wound around his head, pushing his bangs away from his forehead and holding a piece of gauze to a cut near his hairline. Further examination showed his arm had a thick layer of gauze on it, probably a wound bad enough that it had needed stitches.

As the two women neared, the wounded boy stopped talking and tried to focus on them. It took a second longer than it should have before recognition crossed his face and he executed an awkward bow. "Unohana -taichou. Matsumoto- fukutaichou."

"Ah welcome Matsumoto- san. We were beginning to wonder if you would wait out there all day." The sickly captain smiled kindly at her from his chair next to the bed. Getting up from the chair he nodded at the three around the bed. "I must be going. The rest of the division is waiting for news. Thank you for your time Hitsugaya- kun. I know it isn't easy to retell such events." The boy just nodded and watched as the man walked out of the room. As soon as he left, the boy turned a glare on the blond.

"I'm fine." The words stopped any questions that she had been itching to ask fro the last excruciating hours. His glare wavered over to the fourth's captain for a second before returning to the buxom woman. The master healer just smiled.

"That may be, but I'd still like to keep you here for a week of observation." Matsumoto was surprised at the angry sputtering sound coming from the boy's mouth. Before the prodigy could argue, Unohana raised a delicate hand. "The cut on your arm is deep enough to reveal bone, you have several bruised ribs, minor cuts and bruises, and mostly likely a concussion. I would like to keep you here to make sure the wounds heal correctly so they won't be a problem in the future. I have already discussed it with Ukitake- taichouand he has agreed to relieve you of your duties for a week of bed rest." The sputtering started again and she couldn't help but think of an angry kitten. Best not to tell him that though, he definitely wouldn't appreciate the image. Haineko laughed in her mind.

"Glad to see you're alright Toushirou -kun." He glared at her for the name, but the smile on her face wouldn't disappear. Relief and happiness washed over her. However, the verbal argument that was threatening to happen between the boy and the black-haired woman told her the visit was over. "Come see me when you're set free Toushirou -kun." She turned and waved, skipping out of the room.

"Mat...MATSUMOTO- SAN!" The sudden spike in reiatsu clearly broadcasted his ire. She giggled and couldn't help the grin. This week was definitely going to be interesting.

* * *

**He's at it again.**The hellcat's voice was dripping with amusement that its wielder didn't share. Matsumoto sighed. And tonight had been promising to be such a good time. Hisagi had planned a trip to the bar and one of his guests was one of the better looking shinigami in Seireitei. Stubborn brat had to ruin it.

Stretching, the blond got up from her desk and slid Haineko into the obi at her waist. Closing her eyes, she felt for the cold reiatsu. A tiny flame halfway across Seireitei jumped into her mind and she slipped into a shunpo. Brat was going to get it. Unohana- taichou had said a week of bed rest. He had broken that after two days. No one was happy with the young shinigami at the moment. It took time and energy to track him down and drag him back to medical ward. Time which noone had.

She was surprised to find he was heading back to the clearing with the waterfall. It was too easy, one of the first places she would think to look for him. It wasn't like him. He was smarter than that. A suspicious frown crossed her features, what was he planning?

The valley quickly came into view and the temperature dropped drastically. As she dropped into the valley, her breath came out in clouds. Shivering as the temperature continued to drop, she stopped at the fringe of trees like she had the first time. The reiatsu and temperature stopped her from coming any closer.

The roar of a dragon resounded throughout the valley and threatened to burst her eardrums. Haineko gave a pitiful mew of pain. Hyourinmaru coiled in the air around the clearing, watching as the stubborn brat she had come the drag back the fourth pushed himself to his feet. If she had had the breath to gasp, she would have alerted the two to her position as she got a look at the boy.

Bankai training had proven to be taxing and dangerous the last few months. Hitsugaya would always walk away with dark bruises and bleeding gashes. She had gained her own wounds when she had joined in the training. It was crazy to fight when you weren't topnotch. It was idiotic when you were suffering from wounds like the boy was. He had taken off the bandages around his torso and head, letting his hair fly back into his eyes. Angry, red cuts marred his pale skin that had turned black and blue from bruising. Some still slowly seeped blood and newer ones, no doubt from the current fight, were leaving red trails across his skin.

**Stand up young one. We are not done. Show me that you are worthy!**The dragon leapt forward, fangs gleaming. Hitsugaya ducked and let the beast fly over him. Missing its target, Hyourinmaru struck out with his tail which the boy fended off with his sword. He pushed off the ground and aimed his sword at the dragon's hide. With practiced precision, the blade slipped under the scales and cut into flesh. The dragon howled in pain and it was then that Matsumoto noticed the wounds dotting the beast's hide. Hitsugaya was holding his own.

The creature's jaws snapped at the shinigami, but the injured boy flipped of reach, his foot connecting with the dragon's sensitive snout. Bloody hands swung the sword and the dragon's sinuous body easily dodged. Hitsugaya clutched one of the spines as they flew past and hefted himself up onto the dragon's back.

The beast hitched, its pride to great to let someone ride it. Unable to hold on, the small shinigami fell from the creature's back. Coming at him again, Hyourinmaru's teeth sank into Hitsugaya's leg, blood spirting from the new wound. Gasping in pain, the boy could do nothing as he was flung to the ground.

**Do not underestimate me boy! You have to earn your place in the sky. Prove you have the strength to seize the right to my power.** **Prove that your soul is that of a dragon's**. Determination glowing in his eyes, Hitsugaya pushed himself to his feet, ignoring the ripped and torn skin of his leg. He help out his hand and words quickly slipped from his mouth. Twin fireballs exploded from his hand and hit the dragon with the force of a jet. The beast went tumbling to the ground, smoke curling off the serpentine form.

"I will not lose! You will listen to me, and I will make sure that what happened in the human world never happens again!" Releasing a battle cry, a shunpo placed the boy on top of the manifested zanpakutou. Blood red eyes glared at the boy as the dragon dodged. The boy's weapon sunk into the damp ground and stuck. Breath catching, Hitsugaya looked up as the creature's tail slammed into him. With an audible smack that made Matsumoto wince, the boy went flying and hit a tree. He fell limply to the ground, unmoving.

The dragon twisted to face the boy, wings pushing the giant mass forward. Coughing up blood, the boy rolled away from the blow. Twisting around the tree before it could crash, Hyourinmaru growled in annoyance and lunged again. "Hadou First spell: Trust!" Matsumoto was surprised such a weak kidou was able to stop the dragon's attack, watching as the beast rebounded as if it had bit a wall.

Roaring, the creature reared for another attack, but Hitsugaya was already running. Throwing himself to the ground in order to avoid the next attack, he slide across the wet grass. His hand tightened around the hilt of his sword and he turned to face the oncoming dragon in time to see the jaw open to tear into him.

Unable to dodge, the boy twisted so his sword arm was opposite the beast. There was a horrible crunch as razor sharp teeth dug into the boy's frail body. Blood spurted from the pale figure and dripped from the dragon's maw, collecting in the grass in a dark puddle. Ice flashed over her heart, stopping its beating. The familiar cold reiatsu flickered and vanished. Free from the hold of the reiatsu, she dropped to her knees, breath coming in short gasps. No! It couldn't be!

Pushing herself to her feet, the strawberry-blond entered the clearing, Haineko hissing from its sheath. The hellcat growled a warning, but was ignored. Hyourinmaru looked at her with its red eyes, trying to tell if she was a threat. "Let him go!" The dragon growled, but didn't move. "I said let him go you overgrown lizard!" This time the growl was threatening and shook her to her bones.

**Who are you to tell me what to do mortal? This is a dragon's fight. Do not interfere in things you do not understand.**

"Like hell! If you hurt him, you'll have to deal with me." The dragon watched her with emotionless eyes.

"You never did listen did you Matsumoto- fukutaichou?" Grey eyes snapped up to the torn boy between the dragon's jaws. The beast didn't look surprised however. Blood oozed from his body and she wondered how such a small boy could haveso much blood. He looked paler than usual, but the determined twinkle shone brighter than ever in his turquoise eyes. Grasping his sword, he lifted it above his head.

The dragon met his gaze and the likeness of a smile pulled at its lips. **Well done Toushirou.**The blade descended and there was flash of light. The wind picked up, ice twirling around in a tornado around the boy. Guarding her eyes from the projectiles, she waited for the wind and light to die before she turned to face Hitsugaya.

Silence overtook the clearing. Hyourinmaru had disappeared, leaving Hitsugaya by himself. The blond shivered as she looked at the boy. Wounds were in full view now that the dragon was gone. Holes were punctured across his chest and stomach, blood flowing in rivers down his body. It was a wonder he was still standing. Unohana was not going to be happy.

Reiatsuexploded from the boy, energy lashing out in tendrils. The grass beneath the boy froze, ice flashing out in a five foot radius around the wounded shinigami. Ice cracked, and Matsumoto watched in a mixture of fascination and horror as the frozen water sprouted from the boy's shoulder blades and crept over his bare shoulders. It continued to grow and covered his arms and legs, creating claws and the head of a dragon on his sword hand. Fragile wings grew and rested against his back and a tail curled around him. A four-petaled, crystal flower formed over his head and glistened in the dying light. He turned to face her, eyes glowing a frosty blue, a smirk on his lips.

There was a crack like lightening and Hitsugaya froze, spine rigid. With a sharp tinkle, the floating flower shattered. The ice covering his body smashed to ground, later followed by its owner.

* * *


	5. Torn

Hello! Hopefully you guys don't completely hate me after this chapter. I hadn't originally planned it, but it just suddenly appeared on my paper and I ran with it. I also added two cameos, though I hate the characters( I'm going to get flamed for that comment) Hope they're not OOC.

Like I said in my profile, I have a few sweet sixteens for really good friends this week, so expect the updates to be late. Actually, expect about the same time it took me to update this for a while. I don't know if I can pull off updates every other day. I finally realized how much summer reading I have. So if any of you have any suggestions of essays by Ja,es Addison, Margart Atwood, James Baldwon, WEB Dubois, Ellen Goodman, William Hazlitt, Thomas Jefferson, Matin Kuther King, Geroger Orwell, Richard Stelle, Henry David throeau, or James Thurber please tell me. I'm really no tlooking forward to reading five essays, but if I know someone liked them, it will help me get through them. Thanks for the help.

Thanks again for the reviews. It's so great to see what you all think. See you next time!

"Torn" by Natalie Imbruglia and Bleach... not by me. Enjoy!

**Torn**

The sun was crawling over the marble walls as she finally put away Haineko. Wiping a thin film of sweat from her brow, Matsumoto slipped back into the more populated areas of Seireitei. It had been a while since she had been to the secluded training ground. It had been too small and too close to the center of the great city for secret bankai training. The odds of someone walking in on them or sensing his reiatsu had been to great for the boy's liking. So, for the first time in eight months, she had practiced by herself in the little walled-off area.

It was weird. She had grown used to the boy's presence and had noticed its absence early on in her training. At least the light layer of snow from the first snowfall of the winter had made it easier to pretend he was there and not lying in the hospital.

Several people greeted her, and she waved enthusiastically back at them. Exercise could do wonders for her mood. The endless piles of paperwork had started to grate on her nerves lately. The stacks had mysteriously begun to disappear and no amount of pleading from her third seat had been able to make them reappear. She snickered at the distraught look that had been on the man's face. She'd make it up to him somehow. Maybe a nice bottle of sake would do.

"What ya smilin' 'bout Ran -chan?" The singsong voice drifted over to her and made her freeze in her tracks. Walking out from the shadow of one of buildings, Gin grinned at her.

"Gin!" Realizing her mistake, she bowed sightly. "I'm sorry, Ichimaru- taichou."

"My, my! What's with all the formality Ran -chan? Is that how ya treat an ol' friend?" The silver-haired man walked up to her, grin still in place. "Where ya off ta at this time o' day? Ya are usually nowhere ta be found this early in the mornin'." His voice held blatant curiosity, but she had the feeling he already knew where she had been. He had always seemed to know things noone else knew.

"I had some free time on my hands, so I decided to get out and train a little." Her childhood friend hummed in acknowledgment, teeth glinting in the sunlight.

"It wouldn't have anything ta do with the kid bein' in the medical ward would it?" Golden brows furrowed. Was her relationship with the boy-genius being broadcasted around Seireitei or something? How did everyone know they were close? It wasn't like they were together during office hours. Blood rushed to her face as the answer revealed itself. Of course the soul society's gossipers would jump at the bit as soon as there was a hint that she was hanging out with Hitsugaya. With her reputation, whether true or false, they must be concocting the worst images possible about what they were doing together.

Gin stood there watching her out of his squinting eyes, carefully gauging her reaction. "One o' Aizen- taichou's new officers seems ta have taken a likin' ta the boy. It was all she talked 'bout for the first two months since the graduation." The smile grew. "I must say, she got me interested in the boy. Not jus' anyone can graduate from the Academy in nine months."

"He deserves to be called a genius as much as you do Gin. He's brilliant." A surge of protectiveness raced throughout her, making her voice sound more defensive than she would have liked. The smile disappeared for a split second and red eyes peaked out from behind lids as the man noticed her tone.

"Oh, no doubt. I jus' got the news that Ukitake signed 'im up for 'is captain examination. It's scheduled for four months from now to give 'im time ta prepare. I'm looking forward ta se what he can do. Aren't ya?" Her brain seemed to have been replaced with a broken record, thoughts buzzing around that single sentence. _Captain's exam!_

Fear slithered into her chest and grasped at her heart. There was no way he was ready yet! He was just a kid. It hasn't even been a year since he graduated. He had only just achieved bankai and wasn't close to mastering it if his three-week stay in the hospital said anything. He would have to gain the respect of his officers before they would listen to him, not an easy feat with his age and size being used against him. He wasn't ready for the responsibilities of a captain. What were they thinking? HE WAS JUST A KID!

**But he's also a genius. You said so yourself. He deserves the title more than anyone. **Was it bad when a part of you started to contradict your own thoughts? She mentally threw a glare at the cat.

"_That's not the point,"_ she told the cat, careful to make sure she didn't say it out loud.

"My! My! There's no reason ta worry Ran- chan. "The soft singsong voice brought her out of her inner rant. "If the kid is as brilliant as ya say he is, he'll do fine." The grin he wore made a shiver run down her spine that had nothing to do with the cold. How, even after all these years together he could still scare her, she didn't know, but that smile had never been a good sign.

"Ichimaru- taichou." They both looked up at the speaker, calmly walking up to them. Captain Aizen smiled at them and nodded in her direction. "I'm sorry Matsumoto- fukutaichou, but I fear I must steal Gin from you now. We have important matters to discuss." The brunette shot a look at the grinning man who shrugged.

"No... no problem Aizen- taichou. I was just about to leave anyway. I have things I that need my attention that I can't put off any longer." Gin's grin disappeared again. Ignoring the chilling expression, the blond bowed to the two captains. "Aizen -taichou. Ichimaru -taichou."

"Bye, bye Ran -chan! Go easy on 'im! We don't wanna lose someone with his talents, do we?" Pretending to not hear the last part, she waved goodbye and smiled sweetly in the way she knew men loved. Walking calmly to the end of the street, her facade of calmness vanished as she turned the corner. Shoving people out of her way, she jogged down the endless maze of streets, cursing the fact that Gin would immediately detect her reiatsu if she used shunpo. Anger bubbled up in her as she flew down the streets.

* * *

She was trying to figure out who to strangle first, Ukitake or Hitsugaya. The captain should know better than to put the boy in a situation he wasn't ready for. So what was he thinking signing him up for the exam? The boy didn't need the responsibilities of a captain on his small shoulders yet. Then again, it wasn't entirely Ukitake's fault either. The man alone couldn't sign someone up for the examination. A request form had to filled out and signed by the candidate. Which meant the little brat had decided to take the test and not even tell her about it!

He was going to get an earful, that much was certain. She would have to wait until he was fully healed before she strangled him though. Unohana would not be happy if she killed one of her patients and she did not want to incite the woman's anger. Then again, the boy was stronger than her and it might not be a good idea to wait for him to be at full strength.

While the plan on how she was going to kill the boy and eventually the captain formed in her head, she arrived at the fourth division's compound. Easily navigating through the streets and buildings, the vice-captain soon found the hallway where Hitsugaya's room was. Several division members jumped out of her way as she passed, obviously feeling the murderous reiatsu flowing from her.

The building was used for recovering shinigami who weren't in any danger of dying - or whatever they did - and didn't need constant medical attention. Each room was moderate size and could fit a bed and several chairs for guests. Each one also had its own bathroom off to the side for the occupants use. It wasn't hard to find the boy-genius's. Unohana had grown tired of his escape attempts and had placed a guard outside the door. The man smiled wearily at her as she approached, probably wishing he had a different assignment. Voices floated out of the room as she neared.

"How are you feeling today Shiro -chan? Any better?" The voice was soft and kindly, young.

"I'm _fine_. I'm only here because Unohana- taichou won't let me out of her sight. And don't call me Shiro."

"But if Unohana- taichou thinks you need to be here, then you must still be hurt!" The girl sounded worried, her voice increasing in pitch as she spoke.

"She's just punishing me for leaving. I'm fine. You worry to much. Idiot." The word had come out as a scoff, but she knew better. His voice might not have sounded different to anyone else, but Matsumoto could hear the tenderness he rarely showed hidden in it. She instantly knew who was visiting.

"You shouldn't have left in the first place. You only got yourself even more hurt!" The voice had taken on a scolding tone few would use around the young prodigy, lest they wanted to spend a day thawing out. "What were you doing anyway? You still haven't told me." There was no response from the boy, who was probably pretending the person wasn't in the room at the moment. Using the chance, Matsumoto silently opened the door and leaned on the doorframe, glaring at the injured boy.

His head snapped around to face her, teal eyes glowing in the light. Hinamori noticed the movement and turned in her seat near the bed. Her dark eyes lit with recognition and a small smile pulled at her lips. "Good morning Matsumoto -fukutaichou. I didn't realize you were here." Her chipper voice only seemed to darken the blond's mood. Hitsugaya seemed to notice this too.

"What are you doing here Matsumoto- fukutaichou?" The girl by his bed glared at him and hit him lightly on the arm.

"Be nice Shiro -chan. She's kinid enough to come and check on you. Be respectful." The boy just returned the glare and scoffed. How wrong she was. There was only one reason the vice-captain had come, and it definitely wasn't to make sure he was getting better. He seemed to know that too.

"I just needed to talk to Hitsugaya -kun for a moment Hinamori -chan." The girl looked confused at her tone of voice and looked at her childhood friend for answers. The boy didn't offer any as his intelligent eyes stared at the strawberry-blond leaning against his doorframe, most likely calculating the best way to deal with her anger. He had noticed the formal use of his name and knew he was in trouble.

"Of... of course Matsumoto -fukutaichou. Feel better Shiro -chan! I'll be back tomorrow." She gracefully stood from her chair.

"Don't bother! You should be training, not worrying about me. You need to get stronger so someone doesn't always have to save you." Hinamori just smiled at him, letting the words roll off her back without even a wince. The vice-captain moved to let the girl pass, and closed the door behind her. Alone, the tension flared more than it ever had between them. The genius's mask was up and colder than ever, an impenetrable ice fortress that blocked off all emotions. Matsumoto didn't have that luxury, her anger clearly displayed on her face, the signature smile gone.

"What are you doing here Matsumoto- fukutaichou?" The cold, emotionlessness of his voice surprised her. It had been months since he had used that tone around her, months since he had needed the mask around her. It hurt, she would never admit it while sober, but it hurt to see him treat her as he would a stranger. Pushing down the sadness that threatened to extinguish the flames of her anger, she crossed her arms over her large chest.

"Just came by to see if you still have that famed brain of yours. Cause I think something must be wrong with it." The look he gave her clearly told her he didn't appreciate the comment. The temperature dropped several degrees in the span of a second and the water in the glass on the bedside table froze.

"I don't know what you're talking about. You're obviously drunk again. Come back when you can make sense." Matsumoto growled. Typical stubborn brat. You weren't going to get anywhere without pulling teeth. The drunk comment wasn't needed though.

"I'm perfectly lucid for your information. I was just wondering why you obviously don't trust your friends."

"What are you talking about?"

"The captain's exam! I want to know why half of Seireitei knows about, but you couldn't find the time to tell Hinamori or me!" Okay, so maybe that was an exaggeration, but the more guilt the better. The blond was surprised, however, as the white-haired boy seemed to have lost all power of speech. That was a first. He always had a witty comment on the tip of his tongue before you finished talking, and now he was speechless.

"Ho... How?"

"Does it matter?" Wide teal eyes jumped to her face and the mask suddenly reappeared. "You didn't think it important to tell us? Why? Are your friends so unimportant to you?" The icy glared hardened and she distantly heard the angry roar of a dragon echo in the room.

"Get out!" Matsumoto opened her mouth to argue, but the boy jumped from the bed to interrupt her. "Shut up and get out! You don't know anything about me and don't try to act like you do! Just get out!" The temperature dropped to dangerous levels as reiatsu flared, totally uncontrolled. Despite herself, the blond felt fear make her heart pound wildly in her chest.

The reiatsu suddenly vanished, locked away inside the boy. Hitsugaya caught himself, shame peaking out from beneath glare as the wild energy came under control. The sudden lack of reiatsu was just as stifling as the overwhelming flare. Turning, he looked at her over his shoulder. "Get out of here Matsumoto- fukutaichou."

Not knowing how to respond to the softly spoken words, she turned and left, making sure to slam the door shut as she went.

* * *

The mountain of empty bottles in front of her would instantly allude to anyone who happened to see that her red, watery eyes were a product of the alcohol, not because she was trying to hold back tears. The day had gone by in a blur. Everything after that morning had seemed insignificant and a way of forgetting about the episode that had taken a chip off her heart.

Poor Takashi had nearly had a heart attack when he had seen her at her desk, dutifully doing work for five hours straight. It had taken some quick talking to keep him from alerting the fourth division that she wasn't well. Unohana had a way of knowing what was wrong with people, whether physical or mentally. The vice-captain didn't want to explain the situation to anyone yet. So as soon as office hours were over, she had ran down to one of the least populated bars in Rukongai, setting a new speed record in the process. The sake didn't need her to explain what was wrong, it just soothed her.

"Did you hear?" Her hearing picked up the conversation between the two shinigami farther down the bar, thankful they hadn't seen her in the shadows. Maybe there was a good piece of gossip to keep her mind off the boy who seemed to be haunting her thoughts tonight.

"'Bout what?" The pudgy little man looked at his tall companion excitedly. Gossip had been slow the last few weeks in Seireitei.

"They say the prodigy is going to take the captain's exam in a few months. They say he's already mastered bankai and that's why he's in the Unohana- taichou's care right now."

"Really? I heard that was because he got a little too rough with the tenth's bosomy beauty." The pudgy man took another sip from his bottle and sighed. "She's a fine one. I'd love to do her." Heat rushed to her face, not from embarrassment, but from anger. Is that what they thought? Did they honestly think the rumors about her were true?

"Nope. I saw the kid when they brought him in. It looked like something took a bite out of him. He had puncture marks all over his chest. Wasn't pretty." The tall man grimaced and took another sip. Matsumoto mirrored him. If only they knew how true it was. "But he's better now, and signed up for the exam."

"Wow! Wonder if he'll die. Is that how you fail that test?" His companion shrugged.

"I don't know. He might pass though. I've heard some pretty amazing things about him." There was a pause as he took another drink. "What division do you think they'll put him in?"

"Don't know. Only the ninth and tenth are open. The tenth's been without a captain for a while so they'll probably stick him in the ninth if, by some miracle, he does pass. They just lost their second captain in a century and are running around like chickens with their head cut off. Gonna be hell trying to get that back in order. He'll probably quit within the first month."

Unable to listen anymore, Matsumoto stood from her seat, placing her money on the table. Taking one of the empty bottles with her, she approached the men. Leaning seductively on the table near the fat shinigami, she smiled. "Hey boys. What brings you two fine men out to this little bar?" The pudgy man jumped and his eyes dipped to her chest.

"Hello. I should ask you the same question. It's not safe for someone as pretty as you to be out alone. Don't know what kinds of people there are out here." The blond refrained from rolling her eyes by bating them flirtatiously. Long ago, she had made it a point among the people out here that she wasn't a pushover, and it would be better for your health and future children if you didn't mess with her. Even the bigger criminals avoided her when she was in the worst parts of Rukongai.

"Oh, would you like to escort me back, since your such a big, strong man?" The fat man didn't answer, his eyes glued to her breasts.

"What? Oh! Oh of course. I know the perfect..." His sentence was cut off as the empty sake bottle crash over his head. Swaying in his chair, the man slumped against the counter, unconscious. Turning her gaze to the man's companion she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Tell your friend when he wakes up that he shouldn't be talking about things he knows nothing about. Hitsugaya Toushirou will become a captain, and a great one at that. You'll see, and then I'll make sure your friend here gets demoted so quickly it'll make his tiny head spin." Brushing past the cowering man, she stepped into the freezing night air and sighed.


	6. Everything I Do

Hi! Thank you so much for the reviews. They really helped me get throguh this chapter. I think this is the first one without Hitsugaya in it, which is weird because this is about Hitsugaya and Matsumoto. oh well. He will return. Please tell me if any of the characters are OOC. It's my first time writing about any of them. 001Kamikakushi pointed out that, for Hitsugaya's captain, he was really absent and I totally agree. Thank you so much for telling me. Hopefully I didn't butcher his character.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. It will probably be a few days until my next update. And for any Prophecy readers, I'll have that out as soon as possible, I'm just fine tuning it right now.

"Everything I Do" by Bryan Adams. I don't own Bleach.

* * *

**Everything I Do**

It had snowed. Heavily.

The world was covered in the white mass. It had started when she had started walking home from the bar last night and hadn't stopped until early this morning. The delicate fluff coated the tops of buildings and trees and filled the streets. The sun had come up and its rays shattered on the little crystals, reflecting off the ground as if it were a mirror. Everything seemed so much brighter and purer under the light blanket.

Matsumoto winced. Light might be an understatement. They had gotten near two feet last night, and she had a feeling the white-haired brat was responsible for it. Shivering, she pulled Haineko into her lap, hoping the hellcat would provide some warmth in the frigid air. She had never seen so much snow, and it only seemed to reestablish why she hated winter. It was just so damn cold! The walk over here had not been fun.

Some of the less disciplined shinigami had started a snowball fight in the center of Seireitei. It had taken all her willpower to not scream when an icy ball had hit her. Renji was going to pay for that!

At least now she was on one of the walkways and under an awning. The bottom of her robes were soaked and slapped against the floor as she walked. And she had made an honest attempt to look presentable for this! Stupid winter. Stupid snow. Stupid brat. Haineko chuckled and curled up to stay warm.

"Miss Matsumoto- fukutaichou?" The strawberry- blond jumped and looked up from her seat. Choujirou Sasakibe stood in front of her. His mustache twitched as he smiled gentlemanly down at her. His hair, parted and styled like the Englishmen he was trying to imitate, was dusted with snow. His near-white pupils shone with merriment. "Mister Yamamoto- soutaichou is ready for you know." She nodded and gratefully accepted the hand he offered.

The first division's vice-captain led her through the compound, thankfully avoiding the snow. He walked beside her, making easy conversation with her as they wound through multiple walkways. The smell of soup wafted to her as they hurried past the kitchens and she prayed her stomach wouldn't growl. She didn't have time for breakfast this morning as she had needed to make an impromptu meeting with the general.

They finally arrived at some of the more ornately decorated rooms. Sasakibe gently knocked on the doorframe and stuck his head into the small opening between the two. He spoke softly and reemerged. "Please go in Miss Matsumoto- fukutaichou. He is waiting for you." He kissed the top of her hand and vanished around the corner with a short wave. Shaking her head at the oddity that was the first's vice-captain, she steeled herself for the meeting.

It felt like she was walking into the lion's den as she opened the door. She had never seen the general outside of official meetings. She had no idea what the old man was like when he wasn't surrounded by captains and planning to attack some Hollow hotspot. What she might find scared her more than any Hollow she had ever faced.

The room was moderately lit, just enough so that it wasn't to dark. The walls were decorated with exquisite paintings and pictures. The wood floors were polished so finely she could see her reflection. Swallowing, she held her chin up and looked at the general. The old man sat in his chair, looking like a king. A cup of steaming tea sat snugly in his hand as he brought it to his lips. His beady eyes watched her with amusement as she awkwardly stepped into the room.

"Matsumoto- fukutaichou?" The softly spoken words snapped her out of whatever daze she was in. Hastily bowing she hopped he wouldn't see the blush across her face. "That is not needed Matsumoto- fukutaichou. It is just us. There is no need for such formality." He took another sip of her tea and smiled at her, motioning for her to take a seat. "Now, what was it that was so urgent you deemed it necessary to harass my third seat into making an appointment?"

This time she was sure he saw the blush. Sitting on one of the cushion set before the man, she bit her lip. "I don't know if you would call it 'urgent', but there is something I must ask of you." She winced as she realized how much like a little girl she sounded. The general was probably expecting some important information or secret plans of an attack on Seireitei or something. Not her silly request.

A white eyebrow quirked as the man took another sip of tea. "I'm... I'm worried about the upcoming captain's exam. I... I don't think the boy is ready to take the test." She paused, expecting the angry voice to scold her for such a silly concern. The anger never came. The general sat watching her with a calm expression, maybe tinged with the same amusement from before. "Actually Yamamoto- soutaichou, I know he is not ready for the examination." Her heart pounded. The man had listened to her so far, but would he allow such insubordination? "I request that Hitsugaya Toushirou's examination be dismissed, for the well-being of the candidate."

There was silence as the general continued to watch and scrutinize her. Lacing his finger in front of his face he sighed. "Is this about the boy's incomplete mastery of bankai? If so, do not worry, he only needs to preform bankai at the exam, nothing more."

"It's not just that Soutaichou." There was silence again, and the blond thought she would burst with the tension.

"What is the boy to you Matsumoto- fukutaichou?" Her lips twitched into a frown. How many times had she been asked that?

"Have you not heard..." The old man waved dissentiently, scowl pulling lightly at his wrinkly face.

"I have heard the rumors just as everyone else has. That does not make them true however. What is the boy to you Matsumoto- fukutaichou?" Matsumoto bit her lip, fear clenching her heart under the smoldering gaze of the general.

"He's my unofficial charge and a dear friend Yamamoto- soutaichou." She closed her eyes, hoping not to see the smoldering eyes on her anymore. The was an exhausted sigh and the light chink of china.

"I'm afraid I cannot ignore young Hitsugaya's request for the exam. Once a candidate had submitted the request form, only the candidate can make the form void. If you are so adamant in stopping this exam, I suggest you try talking to the boy." Matsumoto sighed in exasperation. Lot of good that had done.

"I've already tried Soutaichou. We're not exactly on speaking terms anymore." Great. Now she was whining. The man just seemed amused though. How long had it been since he had had problems like this if at all?

"I would suspect that he didn't appreciate the gesture, not as stubborn as that boy is." The man's teeth gleamed as he smiled lightly at her. She returned the gesture. "I am sorry there is nothing else I can do Matsumoto- fukutaichou." Nodding, she took it as a dismissal and stood to leave. She had made it to the door before the general called out to her.

"How far are willing to go for the boy Matsumoto- fukutaichou?" The vice- captain didn't move a muscle, staring blankly at the door panel. How far would she go for him? It had never really been a question she had asked herself. But if worst came to worst, what would she give? Looking at the old man over her shoulder, she smiled.

"I would die for him." Haineko growled in her mind to emphasize the point, though no one could here the cat.

The mysterious smile was back and he nodded. "Thank you. That was all I wanted to know." Golden brows furrowed in confusion, Matsumoto nodded and slipped through the door.

* * *

The bottle of sake felt heavenly as it warmed her blood against the chilly air. The overwhelming smell of flowers slowly began to ebb in her sake- soaked mind. She sighed and fell back into the soft plush of the couch. She'd have to get one of these. The one back at the tenth's compound wasn't anywhere near this comfortable.

"Why so glum Rangiku- chan?" The ridiculous grin the brunette man wore seemed to be incredibly funny at the moment and she couldn't stop the snickers as they passed her lips. The man just continued to grin and eventually began to laugh with her, his voice booming in the small room. The woman writing at the desk, rolled her eyes and pushed her glasses farther up the bridge of her nose.

The laughing only increased in pitch as the two drunks rolled on the floor. "Glum Kyouraku- taichou?" It took all her willpower to get enough air to speak. The brown-haired captain looked cross- eyed at her and the giggles started up again. She hadn't been this drunk in a long time, around the time the last captain of the tenth division died about a century ago. Even in her drunken state, she knew she was going to have one hell of a hangover tomorrow. Oh well. The alcohol was to good to pass up and Kyouraku was always an amusing drinking partner.

"Of course my dear!" The captain's hat dipped over the man's eyes as he smiled, gesturing at the stack of bottles surrounding them. "I consider myself a master when it comes to sake, and the only way someone can drink as much as you have is if they are trying to stop thinking or stop breathing. And since I don't believe you to be suicidal," He held up a long finger as if he was making a great deduction. "Something must be bothering you my dear. Now tell old Shunsui. I happen to be a great listener." The were a quiet scoff from the eighth's vice-captain's direction, but neither drunk noticed.

Matsumoto had an inkling the man wasn't nearly as drunk as he was acting, but quickly disregarded the idea with another gulp of sake. "That stupid brat is so stupid! He thinks he can just go around and do whatever he likes. Well he's wrong and completely stupid! I don't know why people think he's so smart when he's obviously so freaking dumb! I should spank him for being so incredibly stupid!" Her words were slurred and rushed together in her rage, but she thought she got her message across perfectly. "He also made this stupid snow and now I'm turning into an icicle! I haven't been able to feel my feet all day!" Kyouraku looked bemused as he pulled his straw hat lower over his eyes and chuckled. Ise's lips pulled into a tiny smirk as she took another report from the file.

"Now ,now Rangiku -chan. There is no need for violence." He chuckled and looked at her, his eyes covered with the same glassy film that was probably covering hers. "I'm sure the 'brat',"he chuckled again, "will come around." The brunette took another sip from his bottle and smiled. "What exactly did he do again?"

"He's a stupid brat who thinks he can do whatever he wants." It seemed the perfect answer to her, but Kyouraku just shook his head, bemused. The pair fell into silence again, the only sounds Ise's dutiful brush and slurping sounds as Kyouraku finished off his umpteenth bottle.

"Ah! Very good sake." His trimmed eyebrows quirked and he looked over his shoulder toward the door, a grin playing over his features. "Ah! It seems we have a guest my dears! I think a double-date is in order my wonderful Nanao -chan." The woman ignore her captain with practiced ease, flipping through the form she was reading. The man's lips formed the biggest pout Matsumoto had ever seen on a grown man, setting her off into guffaws again. The captain looked to much like a child for his own good. Images of a little Kyouraku wormed their way into her mind and her stomach ached from the laughter.

"Though I admit he is a little too uptight for you dear Rangiku -chan."

"I take that you are talking about me again Shunsui." The voice was soft, but easily heard from across the room. Matsumoto turned to see the white-haired captain standing in the doorway, covered in snow. Kyouraku laughed and motioned for him to come in.

"Of course not Juushirou! How can you be so cruel as to think that?" The sickly captain just smiled and nodded a welcome to Ise who returned the gesture. He stood before his lounging friend and smiled at him.

"Of course. I don't know what I was thinking." The strawberry-blond watched the exchange with half-interest, the sake making her brain fuzzy. Ukitake glanced worriedly at her. "I see you have tricked poor Matsumoto- fukutaichou into one of your ridiculous drinking games Shunsui." The brunette just chuckled and raised his glass.

"Would you like to join us Shiro -chan? It'll be fun!" The invalid rolled his eyes and refused politely. The look of disappointment on his childhood friend's face was pathetic. The eighth's captain leaned over to Matsumoto and chuckled. "I told you he was uptight." She giggled, not caring that she was disrespecting a captain. She would thank whatever god there was that he didn't seem to mind when she was lucid.

"Actually, I came to ask if I could borrow Ise -fukutaichou for a while Shunsui." A spark ignited in the brunette's eyes as he turned to face his friend.

"So sorry Juushirou, but you'll have to find your own. Nanao -chan's mine." The man turned excitedly toward the desk. "Isn't that right Nanao -chan?" The woman stood from her desk and readjusted her glasses.

"What is it that you need Ukitake- taichou? I'd be happy to help however I can." There was whimper and all eyes turned to the drunk captain.

"B... but Nanao -chan." His voice had taken on a whiney pitch and he clung desperately to his vice-captain's robes. A glare was pointed at Ukitake as Ise tried to shake him off. "I won't let you steal my beautiful Nanao -chan!" Matsumoto tried to swallow the giggles that threatened to start again. Her sake- soaked brain kept conjuring pictures of those ridiculous sitcoms people in the human world liked to watch.

"Yamamoto- sensei has given my division a mission. However, it seems to dangerous to send a group without someone who is at least at the vice-captain level. Naturally, none of the captains are able to go so I've been asking any of the vice-captain if they are willing to go. Ise -fukutaichou is the best choice." Kyouraku didn't seem impressed with the explanation. "Of course, if she is unavailable, I'll find someone else."

"I'm sorry, Ukitake- taichou, but I have our yearly squad reviews in a few days. I'm afraid I must stay." The white-haired man just smiled kindly and nodded.

"Of course. Thank you anyway Ise- fukutaichou." His gaze quickly ran over Matsumoto, but he didn't say anything. "I'll leave you to your... work." He turned to leave, heading back into the snow.

"Wait Ukitake-taichou!" The man stopped and looked over his shoulder at the drunk blond. "I'd be willing take your squad. It'll be fun. I'm sick of stupid paperwork. It just doesn't go away no matter how long I work at it! My third seat thinks it's suddenly disappearing, but I'm too sneaky for him." She tapped her temple, wincing as it jarred her head. "It's all under the couch. You know what's weird? This couch is so much more comfier than the one in my office. How come? It's not fair! I want a nice comfy..."

"Are you sure you want to do this? You're division won't miss you while your gone?"

"Of course they'll miss me! You wouldn't? They'll be fine though. Takashi can take care of everything while I'm gone. He likes to do paperwork. It's weird. Really weird. I think he got hit one to many time during practice if you know what I mean." She smiled, lifting the glass to her lips. Before she could take another sip, the bottle was carefully taken from her fingers. She blinked like an owl and looked at her empty hand.

Ukitake stood above her, sake in hand, smile gracing his lips. "I think you've had enough Matsumoto -fukutaichou. You should get some sleep. I'll escort you home." He gently helped her to her feet, wincing as he held back a cough. They walked out into the crisp winter air. The last thing she remembered was Kyouraku waving goodbye and Ukitake pulling them both into a shunpo.

* * *

The sun was annoyingly bright for eight in the morning. It must be the work of that damn snow. It was reflecting the light right into the room. Shoving her face back into the pillow, Matsumoto groaned in pain as her temples throbbed. She felt and tasted bile in the back of her throat, but quickly swallowed it down, wincing at the taste. Today was not going to be fun.

There was a knock at the door that jarred her head so much she thought it would split open, and a voice that grated against her nerves softly called out to her. She just groaned in response, hoping whoever it was would go away. Today was living up to her prediction though as the person slide the door open. Opening one grey eye to glare at the person, she was surprised to find that she wasn't in her room, but on the office couch.

"Matsumoto- fukutaichou." She shifted to glance at the person who had called her. It wasn't a voice she recognized. A frail brown-haired boy stood by the door, holding a tray with bottles and a piece of toast on top. His blue eyes locked onto hers and he bowed. "I'm am sorry to bother you Matsumoto- fukutaichou, but Unohana -taichou insisted you receive this as soon as possible."

Curiosity getting the better of her, she sat up and looked at the tray. "Unohana- taichou?" The boy nodded and decided it was alright to approach her. He placed the tray on the table in front of the couch.

"Yes. Ukitake- taichou asked her to look in on you. He said you would be suffering from a hangover and asked for Unohana- taichou's remedy." He began to mix some of the contents of the bottles into a glass and stirred them together. "Here. Drink this please. It will help with the headache and the nausea. Eat the toast when your done." He handed the cup to her and she sniffed it. She instantly shoved the liquid away from her. It smelled like something had died and the been liquefied. The boy noticed the look and chuckled. "It smells worse than it tastes. It will help. Trust me." He gathered up the tray, leaving the toast and cup, and left.

Holding her nose, Matsumoto chugged down the medicine, wincing at the taste. The boy hadn't lied. It did taste better than it smelled, but it still was barely edible. She quickly tore into the toast, ignoring the nausea, hoping to get rid of the taste. Sighing as the remedy began to work, she leaned back against the cushions. She would have to thank the two captains later. The stuff worked miracles. It wasn't long until all hints of the hangover were gone.

Getting up, she fell into a shunpo, stretching her senses for Ukitake's reiatsu.


	7. Someday

Hello all! I'm so sorry this is late. I can't believe its been a week since I've updated. Life is so annoying. So I'm hoping this is worth the wait. I did post a oneshot (this time it is a one-shot) about Hitsugaya's mission in the fourth chapter I believe. Check it out an tell me what you think.

Bleach doesn't belong to me. "Someday" is by Nickelback. Finally! It's weird that it took me seven chapters to use one of their songs since they're my favorite band.

Thanks for all the reviews!

**

* * *

Someday**

"Are you sure you're willing to do this Matsumoto- fukutaichou?" The white-haired captain looked up from the report he was working on and watched her reaction with calculating eyes. Matsumoto nodded. A smile crossed over the sick captain's face as he too a sip from his cup.

"The division should be fine without me. Now, what's so important that you need a vice-captain?" Ukitake sighed and looked out at the small garden outside the office.

"There have been several attacks in the human world lately. The shinigami on location has been having a hard time with protecting the town. It seems there is an unusual amount of deaths in the town at the moment. The area is currently in the middle of a war. Too many people are dying before their time." The look of sadness in the man's eyes made her heart clench. War wasn't anything new to her. She had died in a raid on her town during the civil war.

"I understand." She bit her lip in confusion, twirling a piece of hair around her finger. "Why do you need me though? That sounds like something you only need a few squads for." The man nodded and took another sip of his tea.

"That's what I thought originally. However, some of the shinigami I sent there for temporary support have discovered its not that simple." He paused as a sudden coughing attack racked his frail body. The blond tried to pretend she didn't see the specks of blood as he withdrew his hand from his mouth. "I'm sorry." Clearing his throat he took a quick sip form his glass. "They were pursuing a Hollow when they stumbled across a colony of them."

Matsumoto quirked an eyebrow and leaned forward. "Colony? Sir, that's impossible. Hollows can't live together. They'd eat each other first." White hair flashed as the man wearily shook his head.

"I know, but it seems they have done it. They believe there are a few high-leveled Hollows that seem to be in charge of the group. I hope you understand the severity of this." She nodded. She understood perfectly. The captains were afraid, and rightly so. If Hollows could live together, they might also be able to band together and attack the soul society. Who knew what kind of trouble they'd be in then.

"How high-leveled Ukitake- taichou?" The man met her eyes, expression serious.

"The report said they believed some of them were close to becoming Menos." Her reiatsu spiked in surprise and fear. A band of Menos attacking Seireitei would not be good. "Matsumoto- fukutaichou." She looked up at the man sitting across form her, the severity of his voice not lost on her. "What I'm about to tell you is classified information. You are to tell no one else about this." She nodded in understanding. Even when drunk, she knew better than to give out classified information.

The man sighed, looking much older than he ever had in her eyes. "We believe they have been genetically altered." Eyes widening so much she was afraid they would fall out, Matsumoto stared at the captain. "It is unconfirmed, but its been reported that they show more intelligence and power than usual Hollows. It would explain how the suddenly are able to colonize." Unable to answer, the vice-captain felt her head about to burst with the information. Genetically altered? Who in their right mind would want to enhance a Hollow?

"You're going to take two squads down to exterminate them. I will send another to assist you when they return." He stood and watched as she rose with him. " The gate will open tomorrow morning. I will send someone to get you. Thank you for your help Matsumoto- fukutaichou." With a nod, the vice-captain mentally smiled at the excited growl from the cat. The prospect of getting to finally go out, fight Hollows, and leave the paperwork and all the drama behind pumped adrenaline into her blood.

* * *

Haineko growled as the blade intercepted the blow aimed for her head. Long, curved claws as long as her arm scraped against the metal as they tried to tear into her. Gritting her teeth, Matsumoto shoved off and quickly fell into a quick shunpo. The Hollow fell with a scream as Haineko ripped through its mask. Landing on the blood splattered grass, the blond glanced around at the shinigami fighting off the hordes of Hollows. Paperwork was looking pretty tempting right now.

She had brought the squads down to the human world and met with the ones already assigned in the area. That had been the easy part. It turned out there were more Hollows than the report had claimed. A lot more. Most of them were weak low-leveled Hollows, but the amount of them was slowly chipping away at her endurance. Several people were already seriously injured and she knew one, a new recruit fresh out of the Academy, had met his untimely demise half an hour ago. It was only a matter of time until they were overwhelmed.

"Growl Haineko!" The hellcat growled in agreement and the sword burst into dust. The microscopic particles bombarded the two Hollows teaming up to take down another shinigami. They roared in pain as their bodies were diced by the invisible blades. The limp bodies fell to the ground before dissipating.

"You alright there Satomi?" The girl nodded, tightening her grip on her sword. Blood mixed with her short crimson hair from a nick on her forehead and she was covered in mud and bruises. Twisting around an incoming attack, the redhead hacked through the mask of her attacker.

"I don't know how much longer we can keep this up Matsumoto- fukutaichou." The blond ducked beneath a punch and sliced off the appendage. "It seems like for every one I cut down, two more take its place." Satomi grunted as a Hollow landed a hit on her shoulder, leaving a red line across the skin. Two Hollows fell as Haineko manifested and bit into the creatures' necks.

There was scream as another shinigami was beaten. Matsumoto winced at the sound. That had become to familiar in the last two hours. The small groups of medics they had weren't going to last much longer with the amount of patients they had. "Hadou 4: White lightening!" Lightening leapt from her fingers and zigzagged in the air as it bent to her will. The kidou hit several Hollows, burning them as it shot through them. Several more fell as Haineko pounced on them.

"Matsumoto -fukutaichou!" The warning came just in time for her to use a shunpo to avoid the attack. She silently thanked whoever had yelled as she exercised the beast. A bigger one filled its place and aimed a punch at her head. Recalling her blade, she blocked the attack, sliding across the ground from the impact. Fending off several others that tried to take a bite out of her as she passed, she gathered her reiatsu again, dismaying at the rate her remaining reiatsu was depleting.

"Hadou 33: Blue Flame!"

Fire shot from her hands and incinerated the Hollows around her. There was a moment when nothing came at her. Realizing their comrades, she winced at the thought, had been defeated, Hollows pealed away from attacking other shinigami to attack her. Haineko made quick work of them, but not fast enough. **They are getting stronger Rangiku.** **Be careful.** Nodding to the cat, she focused on killing the targets in front of her.

"Matsumoto -fukutaichou! Ryou had just reported! We're nearing the edge of the forest. It isn't be far to the town from here." Cursing, Matsumoto finished off another monster and looked past all the fighting. In the distance, she could see the light filtering through the trees. If this fight left this forest, they would be in big trouble. They were having a hard enough time fending off the horde without having to protect unsuspecting humans.

"Don't let them out Satomi. Make sure this fight stays here." The redhead didn't answer, but the vice-captain could hear the sound of her shikai being released.

"Oh. Are you the leader," a silky voice floated over to her. Surprise getting the better of her, she turn to find out who had spoken. Big mistake. Pain flared up her arm as a wolf-like Hollow latched onto her arm. Blood gushed from the gaping holes in her skin.

"Growl Haineko!" Her voice was choked with pain but the spirit quickly took care of the creature attached to her arm. Glancing down at the wound, she winced. It wasn't pretty. The Hollow had fractured the bone and now her arm fell uselessly at her side.

" Are you the strongest?" The Hollow that had spoken stepped out of the shadows. It's body was long and thin with legs like a centipede. Millions of eyes covered the Hollow's head and watched her intently. A tail with a large barb at the end curled over its back, black poison dripping off the stinger. "I'm sick of eating pathetic souls and weakling Hollows. I need a tasty soul," A long grey tongue darted out of its mouth. ", and you smell very tasty. I can't wait to see what your body tastes like shinigami."

The possibility of genetically enhanced Hollows suddenly became very realistic. The usual taint rolled off the thing in waves, but there was something distinctly off about this one. It was too talkative for something that was close to becoming a Menos, but the power was definitely there.

"Sorry, but I don't date outside my species. Maybe when you get rid of that ugly mug, I'll think about it." The Hollow chuckled as Haineko growled.

"It'll be fun. Haven't you ever wondered what it's like to get eaten?" Her full lips thinned as Haineko transformed back into a blade. The semblance of a grin formed on the creature's mouth.

Flash stepping, she avoided the tail as it swept toward her chest. The hellcat roared as she swung her own weapon and felt it dip into scaley flesh. Black blood spirted from the wound, burning her skin as it landed on her hands. **Careful Rangiku! It's acid.** Avoiding the stinger again, she gasped at the long body thrashed and rammed into her legs. Unable to stand, she collapsed to the ground.

Teeth flashed as the Hollow tried to bite her. Rolling out of the way, she threw out her sword as it passed, plunging it into the Hollow's flesh. The creature shrieked in pain and convulsed. Taking the chance, she hacked at the legs, avoiding the black blood as much as possible. The stinger swung dangerously close to her head, opening a shallow wound in her shoulder. The wound stung as the poison mixed with her blood.

Cursing, she used shunpo to avoid the next few attacks, not trusting her suddenly swimming vision to help her land a hit. The Hollow realized her predicament, grinning at its prey. Lunging, Matsumoto barely avoided the stinger as it came in for another hit. Her vision blurred to the point where she could see nothing but shapes. The sounds of the battle behind her confirmed no one would be coming to help her anytime soon. She was on her own.

A black blob came into her vision and she leapt backward to avoid it. Her back connected with something that felt like a tree trunk. "That's it shinigami. You won't be able to move now. My poison had begun to take affect. Goodbye." The stinger came at her again and she turned, the barb sinking into her side. The tail jerked itself from her body and prepared for another strike. Vision blurring so much it was useless and limbs going numb, the blond twisted her face into a glare in the Hollow's approximate direction. The beast chuckled and charged at her.

Legs giving out on her, she dully watched as the creature rose above her for the final attack. Grasping Haineko in her hand, she blindly thrust the sword out. There was a spike of familiar reiatsu and the sound of skin being torn. There was an inaudible shout and another sucking sound. There was a shriek and her world went black.

* * *

**It's time to get up you lazy dolt.** **You've played 'sleeping beauty' long enough.** She groaned and mumbled something unintelligible, brushing away the cat's annoying presence. It hissed and pawed insistently at her. Groaning again as the cat continued to bother her, she blinked against the bright light.

Her eyes adjusted to the sudden increase in light and she blinked to get rid of the glassy film blurring her vision. The dull ache of her wounds made her head throb, but she ignored it as she tried to push herself up. A large hand fell on her unwounded shoulder and gently pressed her back down into the warm and sweat soaked mattress.

"I'm sorry Matsumoto- fukutaichou, but you'll have to stay still. The poison still isn't completely out of your system yet and moving around could jeopardize your condition." Looking up at the man, she frowned.

"Sh... Shichiro right?" At the chiseled man's nod, she looked around her surroundings. She was in one of the ten cots inside the green tent. The smell of antiseptics and blood offended her nose, making her scrunch her face up in distaste. "Where are we? Why are you here?" She didn't remember him being in one of the squads here on Earth.

"You are in the temporary medical ward. I came with the backup squad Ukitake-taichou sent." He held up his hand as she tried to sit up again, mouth already forming the millions of questions racing through her mind. "The colony has been successfully destroyed. We have set up camp here in order to tend to the wounded. Most of the squads have returned to Seireitei. We are waiting for Unohana- taichou to arrive to transport the grievously wounded." He moved from his space next to her bed and took a bowl of water and a wash cloth from underneath. Placing the cool fabric on her forehead he smiled kindly down at her.

"You're fever is almost nearly gone. You should be completely rid of the poison in two days. Your other wounds won't cause you any problems. They're nothing more than scratches now. Masakatsu will be please to hear you're awake. He was beginning to worry, we had been to late in extracting the poison." Groaning, the blond rubbed her temples.

"What happened?" A wry smile crossed over the man's face before he sighed.

"We arrived and followed your squads' reiatsu to the forest. By that time, most of the Hollow had been killed. It wasn't long until we found you fighting the Hollow by yourself. We were too late to stop it from attacking your side. You struck out with your zanpakutou then, which gave me enough time to finish it off."

"What did I hit? It couldn't have been the Hollow. It didn't sound right." Shichiro paused, looking at her, probably trying to gauge what her reaction would be. He bit his lip and opened his mouth to answer hesitantly. He was interrupted as a hell butterfly passed into the tent. A soft voice quickly spoke into the man's ear and he bowed.

"I'm sorry Matsumoto- fukutaichou, but I have other matters to attend to. I'll go tell the others you're awake." He moved to the tent flap and held it open. He stopped before heading out and quietly greeted someone outside. Moving aside so the person could enter, Matsumoto's eyes widened.

Hitsugaya stepped into the tent with the same dignified poise he always had. Nodding farewell to the brown-haired man leaving the tent, the boy-genius stared at her with masked teal eyes. Her chest ached at the sight of that horrible wall between them. She had forgotten how much it hurt to see him treat her as he would a stranger. She looked away, giving him the victory this time. She couldn't seem to find the energy to fight right now. Most likely something that had to do with the poison and fever.

"Why are you here?" The question didn't hold any of the usual bite to it, exhaustion coloring her tone. The boy dropped the mask for a second as he looked at her with concerned eyes, but it was gone so quickly she had to tell herself she wasn't seeing things.

"Ukitake- taichou asked me to lead the squad joining the ones down here since I was officially declared healed. I didn't know you were the one leading the squads." He took half a step forward, arms still crossed over his skinny chest. He sighed and looked away, running a hand through his white hair. "You seem to be a magnet for trouble."

"Why didn't you tell me?" The boy blinked and looked genuinely confused.

"I didn't know I was coming. Ukitake- taichou only asked me..." She shook her head, wincing as it jarred it and sent pinpricks of pain throughout her skull.

"That's not what I mean." Grey met teal as comprehension spread across his face. "Why didn't you tell me you had signed up for the captain's exam?" As much as she hated it, the hurt she was feeling showed in her voice. The frown on his face hardened into a glare and the mask was put back in place.

"That's none of your business."

"Don't give me that Toushirou- kun. I'm the one that spent hours helping you train. If anyone deserves to know, its me and you know it. It's a simple question. Why didn't you tell me?" The expressionless look on his face didn't show any emotion, but she could tell he was trying to think of a loophole for her statement. "Why Toushirou-kun?" He met her gaze again and the mask chipped. Sighing in frustration, he passed his hair through his hair again and leaned against the edge of her bed.

"Cause I knew you would act like you have. I knew you would try every single thing you could think of to try to get me out of taking the exam. Hinamori too. I figured the less time you two knew, the less time you'd have to try and get me exempt for the examination. What you two don't realize is that I don't need someone to baby me. I'm not a child." The fire that made his eyes sparkle was back as he looked at her, stance broadcasting his determination.

"You don't give anyone the opportunity to baby you anyway. Can you blame us if we're worried about you? Being a captain isn't exactly an easy job and it seems like you've only just learned to control your reiatsu. Are you sure you want the responsibility right now?" He frowned in thought and nodded carefully.

"I'm not a child. You and Hinamori worry to much anyway." He looked down at the ground, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I don't want you two to worry about me. I don't want you to have to worry about anything." Matsumoto bit her lip. She was so stupid! '_Are your friends so unimportant to you?' _she had said. Stupid! She had always known that he would have trouble being excepted because of his age, but never to this extent.

The few friends he did have were the only things he had to really treasure in this world, and he would fight tooth and nail for them.

She had seen it so many times. He had stood up for Hinamori countless of times. Maybe not directly, but enough to get the message across. Mess with Hinamori and you messed with him. He insulted the girl and pushed her around in the hope that she would improve and be able to fend for herself one day.

The same was true for her too, though maybe not to the same extent. He glared at the men who gave her lecherous looks when he thought she wasn't looking. She had once had to patch him up because he had started a fight for her honor, though he had claimed it was for something completely different. He had brought her home after nights at the bar, making sure no one touched her, so many times she lost count.

"I'm sorry." He jerked his head up, and watched her cooly. "I shouldn't have said what I did back in Seireitei. You were right. I don't know anything about, but I'd like to." She swallowed. It had been forever since she had had anything to drink. "Please let me help you train for the captain's exam." He watched her, unwavering in his gaze. He sighed for the umpteenth time and smiled cheekily.

"You sure? It will be worse than before. I'm going to need to try my bankai in combat. I won't go easy on you." There was a competitive tone underlaying his words and she smirked.

"I think me and Haineko are up to challenge. When we're done, Yamamoto- soutaichou will be so impressed, he'll make you the new soutaichou." She grinned as the cat mumbled something about the possibility of that actually happening. A slight twitch of Histugaya's lips, made the grin widen.

"It's a deal." He extended his hand which she eagerly shook. Her grin disappeared as she noticed the bandages wrapped around his arm. If he had been released from the fourth like he had said, he wouldn't have been injured coming here. The implications flew through her mind and she frowned.

"Where did you get this?" The boy jerked his hand away from her and quickly hid the limb in his sleeve.

"Doesn't matter. It's nothing but a scratch anyway." Shoot! Downplaying it was never a good sign.

"I did that didn't I?" He glared at her, eyes darkening.

"No." She sighed. He had many talents, but lying wasn't one of his best.

"I'm sorry." He scoffed and leaned back against the bed near her knee.

"It's not like I'd just watch you get killed by that thing. You barely nicked me anyway. Shichiro finished it off while I distracted it. It was no problem." She smiled sweetly at him. Of course he would deny that he had any trouble or that he had been trying to help her because he cared. Stubborn brat. He noticed her smile and quirked an eyebrow at her. "What's wrong with you?"

"I'm fine, and... thank you." She pushed herself up and leaned forward, planting a light kiss on his cheek. She pulled away when she felt him tense. The vice-captain laughed as a dusting of pink coated the prodigy's face, much to his ire. So much for Mr. ice cube. He sputtered and glared at her, crossing his arms over his chest. The image only strengthened her laughter.

He might not like it, but he was still a kid, no matter how much like an adult he acted. And until he became an adult, she would watch over him no mater what he did. There was no way she was going to let him go that easily.

"You're so adorable Toushirou -kun!" Matsumoto leapt forward and engulfed him in a bear hug. He wriggled against her, but his attempts were half-hearted compared to his usual ones. The realization only made her squish him farther into her chest.

"It's Hitsugaya," came the muffled reply.

"I'll call you whatever you want when you pass that captain's exam Toushirou -kun." Thin but strong arms slowly unlatched her arms holding the boy to her. The genius leaned back and looked at her, meeting her gaze with his own serious one.

"It's a deal." He smirked and the blond couldn't help but return the gesture. By the gods, she was going to have to beat the girls off with a stick when he was older.


	8. When You Believe

Hey guys. I can't believe how late this is. It's also the shortest chapter. I'm sorry. Kira gave me problems. I didn't know how to characterize him and I just kind of gave up. hopefully, he's not OOC though he most likely is. The drunk comment is from the manga. I just cracked up when I read it and couldn't help but add it. I hope you guys like this. I'll try and get the next chapter up sooner this time.

I (fortunately) don't own Bleach. "When You Believe" by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston

**When You Believe**

"Ow"

Matsumoto hissed as the movement jarred her injuries. Haineko chuckled in the back of her mind, clearly enjoying the torment its wielder was in. Damn zanpakutou only took a few hours to heal while she took a few days. A few days filled with pain and misery. Damn brat was going to get the pounding of his lifetime next time. She didn't care if he was ultimately stronger than her, she would leave him cut and bruised to the same extent he had left her.

Four months had gone by faster than she could keep track of. It seemed when she wasn't eating, sleeping, or doing paperwork, which had become rare lately, she was practicing with Hitsugaya. She had been covered in bruises and cuts for so long she was beginning to think they would never go away. She had spent more time in the fourth division than she had in her whole career. Thankfully Unohana didn't question what she was doing, just smiled that motherly smile of hers and treating her wounds.

It had payed off though. The prodigy was now able to preform bankai without any problems and had increased the period it stayed activated. The few measly minutes he had started out with had turned into an hour of powerful attacks and graceful movements. The number of ice petals had doubled too and it took more energy to get them to disappear. It wasn't completely mastered, but it was enough to make the boy a serious threat. Her wounds attested to his strength.

It was ironic though. On the anniversary of his admittance into the Gotei 13, he was taking the exam that would admit him into the elite of that same society.

The strawberry-blond threw a glance at direction of the building housing the examination. It annoyed her more than anything that she had to sit here and wait. She knew he was going to pass. That had never been a question in her mind. What worried her was if he would get the required amount of captains present. She knew Ukitake was going, being Hitsugaya's current captain, and Yamamoto too, but she wasn't sure about anyone else. The thought of him failing because some old geezers decided not to show up made her blood boil. They had worked too hard for that.

Sighing and sending a silent prayer to the gods, she walked back into the office from the veranda. The room was uncomfortably cold. Winter was taking its time in leaving, almost like an ice cube left out when the temperature was just above freezing. It would melt, but it took its sweet time in doing so. She couldn't wait for the warmer weather to arrive.

There was a sudden flare of cold reiatsu. Matsumoto smiled as she felt the familiar reiatsu wash over her.

It had begun.

Rustling through the paperwork on her desk in order keep herself from flash stepping over there to cheer the boy on, she stopped as she came across one name. _Ichimaru Gin_. It was one of the few files she had actually finished. It wasn't extremely important. In fact, it was just a simple request for use of the tenth's training grounds. It seemed, Kurotsuchi- taichou had commandeered the third's grounds for his experiments, something about how the areas were the farthest away from the rest of Seireitei. She hadn't looked to far into it. Who knew what the psycho was doing. As long as it was away from her, she was fine with that.

She had meant to send it over yesterday, but had hesitated. This was her chance to see Gin. It had been a while since they had talked and she was beginning to miss his company. A quick check of the area made sure noone was going to need her anytime soon. Gathering her reiatsu, she slipped into a shunpo and stopped outside of the third division's offices.

The route memorized long ago, she quickly wound through the multiple buildings. It wasn't long until she found the door to his office and knocked. There was no answer, so she quietly slide the door open. She frowned as her eyes landed on the empty desk that belonged to her childhood friend. Where was he?

"Matsumoto- san?" She jumped at the voice and turned to face the other person in the room. Kira sat at the other desk, scribbling on the stack of forms in front of him. He blinked as she entered and jumped to his feet to greet her. "What are you doing here? Can I help you with anything?" The woman stared at the boy as he quickly rattled on about getting drinks or something.

"What are you doing here?" The boy stopped and blinked.

"M... me? Oh. I didn't tell you?" His voice had taken on a confused and kind tone that she had come to associate with her drinking partner while he was sober. He looked abashed as he shook her head. "Oh. Well, I was promoted to vice-captain a week ago."

A grin pulled at her lips and she threw herself at the younger blond. He yelped in surprise as she hugged him. "Congratulations! We'll have to celebrate! We'll have a huge party with lots of drinks!" Her grin widened as the scene formed in her mind. It had been forever since she had had a drink with a group. She had missed her friends' company. Her social life had been seriously lacking these last few months. "We can celebrate yours and Toushirou's promotions!" Kira blinked and looked at.

"I thought he was taking the test today. Shouldn't you wait to see if he passes?" The smiled vanished and a light frown took its place.

"He'll pass." Her voice had taken on a dark tone as if asking him to contradict her. "Yamamoto would have to be an idiot not to pass him." The boy sputtered with surprise at her disrespect, looking at her with wide eyes.

"Matsu... Matsumoto- san!"

"So are you coming? We can't celebrate your promotion if your not there. Well, actually we can, but it'd be weird without you there." The blond looked at her for a moment, clearly overwhelmed. He swallowed and smiled shakily before nodding. The grin reappeared on her face. "Good! We'll have it in my office. Be there at seven tonight!" She turned to leave, but Kira's quiet voice made her stop.

"Um... Matsumoto- san? Did you need something?" His eyes glanced at the rumpled papers in her hand. She looked down at them and laughed. This test better end soon. All this anticipation was making her scatterbrained. Rubbing the back of her neck subconsciously, she giggled.

"Oh. Yeah! I just came to drop off some forms." She held up the forgotten paperwork. "Where is Gin... Ichimaru -taichou anyway?"

"He's at the exam." The nonchalant reason caught her off guard. She had never expected Gin to be one of the captains to observe the exam. Now that she thought about it, he had shown an interest in the boy. The last time they had talked, he had been asking her about the prodigy's strength's and weaknesses, what he was like, who were his friends, and so forth. It had begun to feel like twenty questions by the end. The silver-haired man must have noticed, because he quickly changed the subject, brushing it off as nothing important. She didn't understand it though. The boy-genius was going to become a captain, why suddenly become interested when he could no longer be transferred into the third division?

"He is?" The boy nodded and took the papers from her. "Well then. I guess I better get going. Remember about tonight." Another nod and Matsumoto slipped out of the office. The sweet smile fell as soon as the door closed.

What was with the sudden worry? Who cared if Gin was interested in Hitsugaya's progress? She was just the same way. So why did she have a feeling of dread when she heard Gin had gone to the exam? It only meant they needed one more captain to be present for him to pass. She should be happy. The calculating look he had worn during their discussions of the boy nagged at her. Something wasn't right.

Shaking her head, the vice-captain smiled. What was she thinking? She was just being silly. There was nothing wrong. The only problem was that she had become to protective of the boy.

* * *

"Matsumoto- fukutaichou!" The blond turned to find Takashi jogging up behind her, pile of papers in hand. The man was almost as bad as Hitsugaya when it came to work. She stopped and waited for the black-haired man as he avoided colliding with a group of new recruits. "I've been looking fro you everywhere!" The flush and sweat on his face made her think he wasn't exaggerating.

"What's up?"

"Choujirou- fukutaichou is here. He's waiting for you in your office. He's says its important." Choujirou? "He wouldn't tell me what it was about." She nodded her thanks and began her jog back to the room. What was the first's vice-captain doing here and what was so important that he wouldn't tell anyone what it was about? Dread slithered into her stomach as she stopped outside the door.

Sliding it open, she saw the white-haired vice-captain gazing out at the veranda. His stance didn't show any signs of stress or fear which she marked as good thing. But if there wasn't any imminent trouble, why was he here. The man turned as she entered and bowed, kissing the top of her hand gentlemanly.

"I am sorry to disturb you Miss Matsumoto- fukutaichou, but I have orders from Master Yamamoto- soutaichou." He waited for her to sit before doing the same, his posture straight and dignified. "The general would like to talk to you immediately. He asks that I escort you over to the division's office as soon as possible." The blond blinked. That was all. Yamamoto- soutaichou was a frightening person to talk to, but she had expected some kind of apocalypse or something. What was all the ceremony for?

"Why does he want to talk to me? Did I do something?" The man shook his head and looked at her with his nearly completely white eyes.

"I'm sorry to say I don't know. Master Yamamoto- soutaichou didn't tell me anything. I was just instructed to tell you." He pushed himself form the chair and extended a hand. "Now, if you don't mind, we should be going." She let him pull her to her feet and together they used shunpo to jump the excruciatingly long distance. The first division's buildings towered over her. Everything had been doubled to show who had the power in the society. Even Yamamoto seemed larger than life as he watched them enter the room from his throne-like chair.

"Welcome again Matsumoto- fukutaichou. I'm sorry for the short notice, but we couldn't be sure until now." The vice-captain nodded numbly. She was lost and it was driving her crazy. If she didn't find out what was going on soon she'd explode.

"I'm sorry sir, but what are you talking about?" The mysterious smile crossed the old man's face before quickly disappearing.

"This is about young Hitsugaya Toushirou." Her head jerked up to look at the general. Another smile flighted across his face at the fierce protectiveness in her eyes. "Or more specifically about his captain examination." He paused and thread his fingers together in front on his face.

"It may not come as a surprise to you, but the boy has passed. All the captains along with myself believe he is fit to gain the status of captain. All we need to do now is..."

"_All_ the captains?" Matsumoto bit her lip as the words raced from her mouth. She hadn't meant to interrupt the man, but the astonishment had forced the words out before she could stop them. She hastily bowed, letting her hair cover her face.

"Yes. It seems the boy has gained quite a reputation and several of the captains were curious to see his achievements. It has been a while since we've a full attendance. However, that is not why I called you here. The time has come to decide the boy's new post.

"After much consideration, we have decided where he will be assigned. The ninth division is in need of a new captain after the last's unfortunate death. The division needs a strong leader." Matsumoto winced. The guy at the bar had been right about one thing. The ninth division was in disarray and was in serious need of order. But if Hitsugaya was assigned there, it could be disastrous. He wouldn't last long. "Furthermore, that's why..."

"Soutaichou! I'm sorry, but please don't put him in the ninth division." There were several soft gasps at her disrespect, but the general didn't move to move to stop her. "I believe the tenth would be better for him. He may be a genius, but he is also a kid. He's not ready to handle it yet. The tenth would get him used to leading. It would be easier on him."

"You must understand Matsumoto- fukutaichou, that I cannot shelter a captain just because he is young and inexperienced. Young Hitsugaya chose to take the exam, fully understanding what would happen if he passed." His voice held an authoritive tone that made her shiver. The tension was so thick she could cut it with Haineko. "If you had let me finish, you would understand my decision. The boy shows a great amount of potential and drive. He is efficient and tactful in the office and the battlefield. He has shown he can surpass the prejudices against his age and inexperience. We cannot afford to coddle him as if he were a normal child, because we both know he is not a normal child. He is a genius and will be treated like the adult he acts like. That is why we have made this decision." She winced under his smoldering gaze.

"Now. I hereby decree that Hitsugaya Toushirou will be assigned as the captain of the tenth division until further notice." The breath whooshed out of her as if she had been hit in the stomach. The blond goggled at the old man.

"Wh...what?"

"There had been a lag in your work lately Matsumoto -fukutaichou. Files have gone missing in your office and the ones we can find are sloppy and incomplete. I have heard complaints from some of your subordinates. To stop this sudden decrease in work, we have decided its best that the tenth be assigned a captain to fix this problem before it becomes a habit."

Silence filled the room. Noone moved, all eyes on the general and vice-captain. Matsumoto stood, staring at the glossy floor. Her mind was abuzz with thoughts, racing to fast for her to grasp them.

"His first day as captain will start tomorrow. I suggest you prepare the office fro his arrival Matsumoto- fukutaichou." She was brought back by the soft voice and nodded, a smile pulling at her lips. Bowing, she turned to leave.

"Thank you Yamamoto- soutaichou"_ You won't regret it._

* * *

"Matsumoto- san! I'm going to drink until I throw up!" The cackle came from the wasted newly appointed vice-captain somewhere under the ever-growing pile of sake bottles. Renji gave a bark of laughter and raised a glass in agreement.

"I'm with ya Kira! I bet I'll throw up first!" The redhead chuckled his empty bottle to the side, making a grab for another one. There was a grunt from the blond boy and a clink of bottles. Matsumoto sat on the couch in the tenth's office, watching the ordeal with barely concealed amusement.

"I hope you know you're going to be cleaning that up." The vice-captain blinked owlishly and smiled over her shoulder at the two kids sitting on the veranda, watermelon in hand. The white-haired boy, scowled as more drunk babbling came from the older boys.

The boy had been instantly drawn to the veranda after entering the room, or having his new vice-captain drag him in actually. He hadn't moved from his spot and seemed content to stay there the entire time, Hinamori pleas or not. His commands to get rid of the alcohol went ignored and he had resorted to threatening the strawberry-blond with work. It wasn't working.

"Aw come on Toushirou -kun! Don't be such a meanie!" Her voice was more slurred than it should have been for the number of drinks she remembered having. But then again, she lost count after her fifth. "It's a party. Smile dammit!" She chucked back another bottle, blissfully ignoring the scoff from Hitsugaya.

"She's right Shiro -kun. You should enjoy yourself." Hinamori smiled at her childhood friend, leaning against the doorframe to the veranda. She winced however, at the laugh from he drunk classmates. Something, that the youngest boy made sure to comment on.

"I told you. Don't call me that Bed-wetter Momo. It's Hitsugaya- taichou now! At least show some respect." He grabbed another slice of watermelon and tore into the soft fruit, spitting out the seeds. Matsumoto didn't know where Hinamori had gotten the melons, but the brief look of glee on Hitsugaya's face was enough to stop her from asking. Let them enjoy them while they could.

"Yeah Shiro- kun! Lighten up!" He shot her a glare and quickly turned it on Hinamori when it had no affect on the drunk. "You should try some of this!" She held out a glass for him which he looked at as if she had offered him a dead rat. "It's really good and will definitely get rid of that party-pooper attitude! Especially after the third bottle."

"Don't offer alcohol to minors idiot and _don't call me that_!" The two girls chuckled as he pouted and crossed his arms over his skinny chest. "You're going to regret having it tomorrow." Smiling, she threw back another bottle and settled back on the couch. Life was going to be a lot more intereting in the tenth division from now on.


	9. Two Worlds

Hello! I'll be going away for a week this Saturday, so I'm warning you in advance that there won't be any updates until I get back. This chapter is probably one of the shortest since the prologue and the slowest. It's also probably as fluffy as I will ever get. I'm horrible at really romancy stuff. I hope you enjoy it. Tell me what you think. More action next time.

If I owned Bleach, Diamond Dust Rebellion would already be out over here. "Tow Worlds" by Phil Collins or from the Tarzan Soundtrack. However you want to say it.

* * *

**Two Worlds**

Matsumoto had learned a lot about the mysterious boy-genius during the last year.

She had learned he spent at least half and hour practicing every day. She had learned he could find the solution to a problem in half the time it usually took people. She had learned he could scare off most subordinates with just a glare. She had learned he handled his work with competence and seriousness, no matter what the task might be.

She had learned that he had only been in Rukongai for a little over three years before they had met. She had learned that he loved watermelon and would go out of his way to find the huge fruit. She had learned that he hated warm weather, something they attributed to Hyourinmaru's influence. She learned that he would sneak down to Rukongai from time to time to visit his 'granny' and the gate guardian he had befriended.

She had learned that he would do anything for the few people that were precious to him.

And this morning revealed another interesting, if not annoying, fact.

He was a morning person.

Growling into the pillow, she silently cursed the construction crew that had taken up residence in her head. Shifting so a curtain of her hair blocked out the sunlight, she closed her eyes and fell back into the welcoming darkness that was sleep. Maybe growing out her hair had been a good idea after all. There was an annoyed expulsion of air from above her and another jab at her shoulder, this one more rough and demanding than the first. "Matsumoto- fukutaichou."

Groaning as the loud voice boomed in her ears, she clapped both hands over the small hearing instruments. He was doing this on purpose. She just knew it. She could hear the smirk in his voice. As she continued to ignore the insistent boy, the temperature dropped to levels that made her wince. "Matsumoto -fukutaichou." The frustration was dripping from his voice and she knew that he was trying hard not to turn her into an ice sculpture.

Oh well. There was no way she was moving from this couch. Not until the pounding between her temples stopped. He could try everything he wanted, but there was no way the brat was getting her up this early with this kind of hangover. "Go away." The pillows muffled her words, but she knew he had heard them.

"Matsumoto -fukutaichou. Is that how you speak to a commanding officer?" Damn him for sounding so much like the old man. Pursing her lips she glared at him between cracks in her hair.

"If the officer decides to wake me up at some god-forsaken hour while I have a hangover, then yes. Yes, that is how I speak to a commanding officer." There was a moment of tense silence as the blond bit her cheek. _Idiot! You brought him here so he wouldn't have to deal with unruly subordinates. Not become one._

"It's eleven o'clock." The even voice surprised her. She had expected to either be frozen or have a serious verbal lashing for her insubordination. Glancing up, she looked at the clock. He was right. Groaning, she flopped back down on the pillows. Why did it feel so early?

Footsteps so quiet she would have missed them if there had been any other noise, moved toward the previously unoccupied captain's desk. Papers shuffled and the old chair squeaked with disuse. The dutiful scratching of a pen started up.

Sighing in defeat, she pushed herself up. Her head pounded and her vision blurred as she sat up. Her stomach clenched and she felt bile rise to her throat. How much had she had last night? "Unohana- taichou brought over a remedy. It's on your desk." Nodding numbly, the woman hesitantly got to her feet and crossed the short distance to her desk. A large cup of the stinking liquid bubbled on her desk, sitting innocently next to a pile of papers she had a feeling her new captain was going to make her do today, hangover or no hangover. She sent a glare at the cup before hesitantly lifting it to her lips.

The acidic taste burnt her tongue and throat as she swallowed. Holding back the tears that sprung to her eyes, she blinked and noticed a small slip of paper that had been covered by the cup. "_**I warned you**_." Crunching up the paper, she glanced over her shoulder at the boy sitting there. He was looking intently at his work, but a small smirk made his lips twitched as he tried to suppress it. Oh the brat was going to pay.

She sat down at her desk with a huff and crossed her arms over her large chest, hiding the wince the movement brought. At least the pain was starting to subside a little. She would really have to ask Unohana for the recipe. It was annoying and embarrassing to go all the way to the fourth whenever she had a hangover. Letting lose an overly dramatic sigh, she slowly picked up her own pen. This time the boy did look up and sent her a quick glare to keep quiet. Childishly pouting, her pen soon began to slide across the papers.

It must have been an hour of mind-numbing work, before Hitsugaya finally moved from his position at his desk. With a languid stretch and several pops, he stacked the papers at the corner of his desk and got up. Matsumoto looked up in surprise. He was already done! His stack of papers was nearly twice hers for heaven's sake. He noticed her gaze and smiled faintly. "I have to go observe the division's recruits' training. I'll be back later." He grabbed Hyourinmaru from where it was leaning beside his chair and fasten the worn and frayed rope across his chest. "Once your done with those, you can finish the ones under the couch." With a twirl of his haori, he exited the room.

Her mouth impersonated that of a fish out of water. Her grey eyes were wide as she glance between the door and the couch. How had he known? She had made sure that everything was completely hidden and unless someone was looking for them, they would never be found.

Getting up from her seat faster than her head allowed, she swayed in pace before jogging over to the couch. Crouching down, she didn't see any sign of paperwork. How had he... Kyouraku. No the carefree captain would never rat her out and she highly doubted Ise would either. She didn't remember saying anything about her hiding place last night either. Sighing, she took off the cushions and opened the zipper on the side. Sticking her hand in, she came out with a handful of crunched and wrinkled papers months old.

Groaning, she began to take out the numerous hidden papers. It would take forever to finish all these! And they were all so boring! That's why they had 'disappeared' in the first place. The brat was to smart for his own good. When she was finished she put the cushion back on the couch, noting how they sagged from the lack of 'stuffing'. He couch wasn't going to be very comfortable. Her eyes widened in realization.

He was doing this on purpose! The disgusting medicine, the load of paperwork during a hangover, and the de-fluffing of her couch. He had only been in the room once and already got rid of all her slacker techniques. She wasn't even going to check her sake stash. The probable state she would find it in was to much to bear.

Stomping over to her desk she let the mountain of paper cascade from her arms and onto her desk. Grabbing the pile of completed papers before they really disappeared, she walked over to the captain's desk, glaring at an invisible boy-genius. He was way too smart for his own good.

Slamming the paperwork on his desk, she smiled as his perfect pile scattered to cover the desk at the impact. Ha! Payback! She turned towards the door. No one messed with her sake and went unscathed. Hell had no fury like Matsumoto with her sake missing. Her fingers trailed across his desk, messing up the papers even more. She froze when they touched something more solid than a piece of paper.

Intrigued, she glanced at her hand where it lay next to a small, white box that had blended in so well with the piles of paper. Picking it up she was surprised to find a small card on top. "_**Matsumoto.**_" Eyebrows quirked in suspicion, she opened the card. Hopefully it wasn't another assignment. "_**Thank you**_."She blinked owlishly. For what? He certainly hadn't enjoyed the party. What for then? Cracking the box open, she blinked. A scarf the softest color of pink was folded with perfection that could only be done by Hitsugaya's hands. Taking out the length of fabric, she was surprised at the smooth, cool feel of it. Silk. Letting the cloth run spill over her fingers, she smiled.

Leave it to the prodigy to notice she had lost her ascot during a mission when a hollow had gotten too close and nicked her. The blood stain had never come out. It had only been a few weeks since she had lost it and no one else had seemed to notice. Placing it behind her neck, she let the long scarf trail down her body.

Glancing back at the destruction she had left in her wake, she sighed and turned back to her charge's desk, picking up the scattered papers.

* * *

The training grounds were filled with shinigami as they practiced the four major combat forms for shinigami, swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat, shunpo, and kidou. Fire balls leapt form hands and into moving targets in the middle of the dusty part of the area. Shinigami fought with each other in marked circles, using both hands and swords. Several practiced shunpo in the small maze and obstacle course set up in the corner of the vast training field.

In the middle, she could see the tuft of white hair and a white haori among a group she recognized as some of the seated officers of the division. They were organizing events and helping newer shinigami with techniques. Intelligent teal eyes watched the happenings carefully.

Even from her distance from the boy, she could see he was content with the... _his_ division's abilities. There were mixed reactions towards the new captain though. The older and wiser warriors knew what it took to accomplish what the boy had done and treated him the proper respect. The younger, more arrogant reapers however kept giving him condescending looks. His outward appearance didn't give away his annoyance at the later, but she knew him well enough to understand his feelings.

He would have to prove himself to them. There was no way around it. The recruits wouldn't follow anyone they thought inadequate and their judgment of competence was slightly skewed. It would explain why Hitsugaya had brought Hyourinmaru to an observation. He knew what he would need to do. All it took was one idiot.

And there he was. Tall, broad-shouldered and good-looking. His strut was filled with so much arrogance it made her sick. How had someone like him gotten into this division? A smirk showed perfect teeth as he made a comment to the white-haired boy. It was probably a good thing she was out of hearing range, because some of the higher seats' faces were turning an angry red from whatever the idiot had said.

The boy turned around slowly to face the man and looked at him with a bored expression. He spoke quickly to the man and she smiled as the back of the moron's neck flushed red. The man yelled back in response. Now all attention was on the two in the center of the grounds. Perfect. Now he wouldn't have to do this more than once.

More words were exchanged, Hitsugaya's cold demeanor a contrast to his opponent's fiery disposition. For every yell from the man, the genius answered with a calm and collected voice.

Murmurs resounded throughout the training grounds as the idiot pulled out his sword and pointed it the small captain. Hitsugaya regarded him with the same bored expression, probably warning him what would happen if the man didn't re-sheath his sword. The warning went ignored of course and the moron charged. Mistake number one.

The captain sidestepped the wild swipes and easily blocked one he couldn't safely avoid. There was no way anyone below a captain status could beat the prodigy in swordsmanship. This would be over quickly.

The man thrust his sword at the prodigy who deflected it and started a counterattack. The moron jumped backward from the attack and gasped as the boy appeared where he was going to land. He tried to twist and parry the blow, but he couldn't position himself correctly in the air. The side of Hyourinmaru smash into the man's side and he collapsed with a groan.

Silence filled the training field as the recruits watched with wide eyes. Slowly more whispers started up until there was roar of noise. Instructors worked to regain order. A quick glance around the field from the young captain did what the instructors couldn't. The recruits began to train again, occasionally glancing over their shoulder at the boy-captain.

Giggling, Matsumoto leaned against the wall and watched a pain of shinigami race thought the obstacle course. That was easier than she expected. He hadn't done anything spectacular and yet he had shown he wasn't someone to mess with, that he deserved his titles. She looked back at the center and found teal eyes looking at her.

The boy sheathed Hyourinmaru and spoke to the officers around him. They nodded and he walked over to her.

"That was fast." She pointed her chin toward the crumpled man as he approached. The boy just rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Am I right in assuming you finished all the paperwork?" She nodded and smiled. "And I see you found it." His eyes landed on the silk scarf around her shoulders. Her smile widened into a grin. Usual ice cube. He wouldn't outwardly show emotions, but he had his own bizarre way of showing he cared.

She waved to the crowd in the training grounds and followed the boy as he exited the area. As soon as they were out of sight she pulled him bodily toward her and squished him against her. "Thank you Taichou. I love it." He scoffed and patted her on the arm around his neck before slipping from her grasp.

"Just make sure you don't lose this one the same way you lost the other one." Matsumoto nodded and smiled. Usual ice cube.

* * *

"What's this?" The teal eyes penetrated her own grey ones, demanding answers. She smiled slyly at him and shrugged.

"It's no fun if I tell you." At his frown, she sighed. "I never gave you a gift at your party so I figured I should give it to you after your first day as a captain." The boy looked at her suspiciously before extending his hand and taking the small box. She motioned for him to open it as she sat down on the lumpy couch.

He watched her for a moment before turning his attention to the box. The lip popped off and he looked at its contents. His eyebrow quirked as he glanced up at her. A self-satisfied smiled spread across her features and his lips twitched. "What is this?" The blond pouted from her seat and rest her chin on the back of the couch.

"Aw c'mon Taichou- kun! Don't be mean. You know what it is." He shot her a quick glare for the name, but let it slide this time, something she made sure to note.

"I know what it is, but why?" He looked honestly confused as he glanced from the box to her. "I don't get cold." She laughed. He sounded so much like a kid right now. Even the pout on his lips as she laughed at him revealed his true age.

"I know. It's not for that. It's for Hyourinmaru." The confusion only increased in his eyes. She could see the gears turning in his head, probably trying to picture the dragon wearing the small bit of cloth.

"Are you feeling alright Matsumoto- fukutaichou?"

"Not like that!" She giggled. "That old rope is going to break soon. I figured you needed something more formal now that you're a captain." Realization sparkled in his turquoise eyes as his lips twitched into a small smile. He grabbed his zanpakutou from beside him and undid the fraying knots on its sheath. The dirty and old rope dropped onto his desk and he reached inside the small box. His deft fingers pulled out the tough silk strip and tied the two ends to Hyourinmaru's sheath. He slipped the loop over his head and adjusted the length.

He glanced at himself in the mirror she had placed against the wall when it had just been her in this tiny room. The dark green cloth contrasted nicely with the whiteness of his hair and haori and accented the color of his eyes. A very nice choice if you asked her.

"Thank you." He looked at her and nodded his thanks before sitting down at his desk and started the work that someone had placed on his desk while they were out. The words sparked her memory and she looked up at the ceiling, playing with a lock of golden hair.

"Taichou?" The boy looked up from what he was writing and quirked an eyebrow. He put his pen aside and looked at her, waiting for her to continue. "On the card that was on the box you gave me, what did you mean by 'thank you'?" The genius sighed and the sound of the chair creaking made her turn her head. The boy stood against the doorframe leading to the garden, watching her with serious eyes.

"Exactly what it said. 'Thank you'." Her expression asked him to explain and he sighed in exhaustion. "Do you honestly think I could have passed the exam my myself?" He held up his hand as she began to argue and she found herself obeying him. "Do you think I would have passed it this early by myself?" His expression softened and a genuine smile touched his lips. "It's because of you that I was able to pass, and I am grateful. Since you obviously didn't understand earlier, thank you."

Matsumoto smiled back at him and got to her feet. Her arms wrapped around him in a gentle hug. "Thank you." He scoffed and hesitantly returned the gesture.

"Idiot."


	10. Fire

Hey guys. Sorry for the long wait. School has been looming overhead and I'm nowhere near ready. Thank you all so much for being so patient. I'm sorry this is so short, especially with how long you guys had to wait. The discussion is based from the Rock Bleach Muscial Saien. Tell me if anyone seems OOC here. I have a feelign I messed up with Matsumoto.

I don't own Bleach. "Fire" is by Poets of the Fall

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Fire

Adrenaline pumped through her veins as she ducked beneath the sword.

Her opponent was skilled though and diverted the horizontal swing into a diagonal one. Throwing herself to the side, Matsumoto felt the weapon skim along her skin, a thin film of blood appearing on her skinned arm. The material of her uniform fell apart as the sharp blade touched it, the fabric sliding off her shoulder and hanging by a few strands.

Rolling under the next blow, she struck out with Haineko, but her attack was easily blocked. Whoever her opponent was, he was skilled, she'd give him that. To tell the truth, she didn't know who or why she was fighting. All she knew was that if she didn't fight, she would die. Several of her companions had already fallen under the ambush from the strange group.

She glanced up to glare at the figure. His features were hidden in the shadows and every time she tried to get a look, it seemed his face blurred beyond recognition. She was blaming that on the blood loss though. The only thing she make out was the gaping hole in the man's toned chest. A Hollow. Or, if her assumptions were correct, an arrancar if the zanpakutou and missing chain of fate meant anything.

Gritting her teeth, she concentrated on landing a hit. The arrancar's sword swung through the air with a grace she had only seen a captain use during a fight. Her attacks were brushed off and counterattacked with such speed and dexterity that it was all she could do to keep his hits from killing her.

Haineko was mysteriously quiet in her mind, leaving the vice-captain feeling abandoned. She was alone- completely and horribly alone- and she was losing.

Biting the inside of her lip to keep from screaming in pain as the sword imbedded itself in her thigh, she lunged at the hollow. Her blade skimmed across his skin, finally drawing blood. A hand smashed down on her head, knocking her to the floor.

The grass smelled like mud and blood, smearing across her face as she fell. Twisting, she narrowly avoided having herself run through and kicked out. There was a grunt of pain as her foot connected with his gut and her bent in pain. Haineko flashed in the dim light and aimed for the hollow's face.

The man's sword met hers and the resulting clash resounded over the other battles. Scrambling to her feet and putting her weight against her blade, she felt like a fly trying to move a mountain. The arrancar's arms strained against her attack, but didn't show any signs of faltering when hers shook with exhaustion. There wasn't supposed to be this much of a power change when the hollow removed its mask. Why was this one so different? There was no way a vastrode could have slipped beneath their attention this easily, especially one this strong.

The arrancar chucked deeply, his chest rumbling with the sound. "You can not win shinigami. Give up now and I promise your death will be quick." Glaring at the fuzzy features made her stomach flip, but she ignored the nausea. The voice was so familiar. Who did it belong to?

A scream of pain ripped from her throat as her opponent punched her wounded thigh. The muscles spasmed under the attack and gave out. Once again on the ground, she blinked back tears. Fire raced through her body and agony seemed to grip her heart.

The hollow extended his arm and grabbed her face, shoving her farther into the mud. "This is your last chance Rangiku. You must choose now. Power or that pathetic old man's rules?" Struggling against his crushing grip, she didn't spare much time noticing that his comment made no sense. She had already discovered that most hollow were insane and you were only hurting yourself by worrying about their bizarre comments.

There was a flickering light, and her eyes looked into the palm covering her face. Energy built up, gathering in the arrancar's hand. Sweat dripped down her temple from the sudden heat. Her heart skipped a beat. A cero! The light grew until it was blinding and she felt the energy burn her skin. "Farewell Rangiku. Sorry."

Nails bit into the wrist at her face, scratching in desperation. The man didn't seem to notice however and continued to build up the power for the cero. She tried to move his hand, but the appendage seemed like steel. It wasn't budging. The light filled her world.

There was a cry of pain and she screamed. Pain laced through her body, the close-range cero immobilizing her.

But she wasn't dead.

Forcing her eyes to open, she blinked back the tears of pain. Blood gushed from her shoulder where the cero had hit. Groaning, she turned her head as something clashed to her right.

White hair, short stature, teal eyes, cold aura.

Toushirou.

He grunted as he caught the arrancar's zanpakutou with his own. Pulling away, the boy threw himself into a series of moves that seemed to slide into one another. Grace, speed, and power all in one attack. Hyourinmaru sliced through the hollow's defenses, trails of blood covering the man's body. Toushirou ducked beneath an attack and quickly counterattacked, thrusting his blade into his opponent's side.

She couldn't help but gape, pain forgotten as she watched the fight. The attacks that had once seemed lightening fast and strong, were now nothing compared to the boy's fluid and deadly movements. She had never noticed just how well he could handle a sword, not til now.

"Hadou 54: Abolishing Flames!" Purple fire flared up and shot at the arrancar. A screech came from the hollow as it was engulfed with the fire. Toushirou stood for a moment, making sure the man was completely incinerated, before kneeling at her side.

"Matsumoto!" His eyes were wide as he took in her appearance and she winced. She must look half-dead by now. What caught her eyes however was the fear he was unable to hide in his shining teal orbs. "Are you alright?" His voice cracked as he tried to compose himself. She had never seen him this shaken. Worry clenched her heart. She nodded weakly and tried to smile.

"We have to get back to Seireitei. Unohana can..." She opened her eyes, not remembering closing them, and glanced at the boy. Her heart stopped.

The boy choked and spit out blood as the red liquid gushed down his chest and off the sword imbedded in his chest. His eyes slid over to meet hers, and the light faded, the frail body slumping to the ground.

"_TAICHOU!" _

* * *

"_TAICHOU!"_

The world spun in and out of focus, colors swirling before her eyes. Gasping, Matsumoto shot up. The dizziness worsened and she willed her stomach to clam down before she became reacquainted with her dinner. Her head throbbed and suddenly became light-headed. All sense of feeling left her body as she swayed in her sitting position. When had she fallen asleep?

"Matsumoto?" Despite her dislike for emotional crybabies, the blond couldn't help the warm tears that flooded down her cheeks at the voice. She could still feel the blood oozing over her hands, smell the sweat, hear the strangled breath, and see the life leaving his eyes. No matter how many times she blinked or scrubbed at her teary eyes, the images wouldn't disappear. They were ingrained on her brain, left to forever haunt her.

"Matsumoto!" There was panic and concern hidden under the strict tone and she felt a sob wrack her body. He had every right to be worried. It wasn't like her to get so worked up like this over something as silly as nightmares. She must look a mess. The tears wouldn't stop though, no matter how hard she scrubbed at her eyes. Blinking away the tears, Matsumoto twisted around on the couch and looked at the desk at the front of the room.

Hitsugaya stood next to his desk, watching her carefully as if waiting for another meltdown. His bright teal eyes were focused on hers, scrutinizing her face. They were so different from the ones she had seen only a few seconds ago. His uniform was intact and stain-free, falling around him gracefully. His still chubby features showed no indication of pain. This Hitsugaya was a welcome difference from the one in her dream.

**That's all it was. It was just a dream. Nothing more. Calm down Rangiku. I won't have you dying of a heart attack of all things!** The hellcat sat back languidlyand stretched. **The boy is fine. You can see for yourself.**

The cat was wrong in that aspect. The boy genius was not 'fine'. The bags under his eyes were becoming more prominent everyday. He was skinnier than usual from lack of a normal eating routine. His skin was pale and taut over his bones. His stance had lost it's usual grace and an air of fatigue shrouded him.

She felt a pang of guilt at her charge's appearance. It was her job to make sure this never happened. She was supposed to take care of him and make sure he didn't break under the responsibilities of being a captain. The sight in front of her didn't exactly exhibit her care positively. That was probably the reason for the nightmare.

His white eyebrows furrowed as she looked at him in silence. She could see him fidget, just a small movement of his fingers. It usually would have brought a grin to her face. Mr. Icicle getting nervous around an overly emotional girl would usually pull her out of any slump. She couldn't find the energy to be happy.

Wearily pulling her lips out of the frown, she tried to smile at the boy, anything to show him she wasn't about to crack anytime soon. It obviously didn't work when the frown on his face deepened. "It was just a dream. Nothing more. I'm alright." The blond plastered a forced smile on. The boy grunted, but didn't stop watching her. "Really, I'm alright."

The short captain snorted and strutted over to the couch, wiping her face with the pad of his thumb. The vice-captain watched the boy as his calloused hand trailed over her cheek. Pulling his hand away, he quirked an eyebrow and held his hand up to her face to see, the thumb covered in runaway tears. "Right." Matsumoto was once again amazed at how he could appear years older than he really was with just a look.

His penetrating gaze met hers and she knew she wasn't fooling him. He was too smart to be tricked by petty smiles and reassurances. Sighing, she turned away, the bright teal orbs boring right through her. "Maybe you're right. I don't know what came over me." Standing up, she stretched. The clock on the wall told her she should have been awake an hour ago."I'll get started on those reports now."

"Forget it." A golden eyebrow raised in surprise, the vice-captain turned to face the prodigy. He crossed his arms over his thin chest and glared at her. "You can do them tomorrow. If you did them now, I'd just have to redo half of them later. Go get some tea and calm down." Blinking as the captain returned to his desk, Matsumoto felt her jaw drop. Did he just give her a day off?

A wicked smile spread over her features. It had been forever since she had taken a day off, Hitsugaya had made sure of that. A strong cup of tea and a nap sounded pretty good right now.

"Thank you Taichou." Bowing quickly, she flew over to the door. The wooden frame banged as it slide to the side, eliciting a hiss form the white-haired boy. Jumping into the corridor, the blond fell backward as she hit something. The person grabbed her arms before she hit the ground and pulled her up.

"Where ya goin' in such a hurry Ran-chan?" Red eyes peaked out from under squinted lids as the lanky, silver-haired captain smirked down at her. His arm was still snaked around her shoulders, something she didn't fail to notice. Hitsugaya looked up from his paperwork, watching his fellow captain with assessing eyes as he helped the blond to her feet. "Ya really should watch where ya goin'. Don't know who ya might run into." He grinned at some joke only he knew and released her.

In a dramatic show, he bowed to the younger captain and looked at her from the corner of his eye. "I was jus' passin' by and thought I should come see how our new mini-captain is doin'." The look on the prodigy's face clearly showed what he thought about the nickname, but he refrained form saying anything. "If ya don' mind Mini-Taichou, I'd like ta speak ta ya for a bit." There was a moment of silence as the Hitsugaya stared at Gin, before he nodded. The frown didn't disappear though. The boy motioned for her to close the door and she did, but not before Ichimaru waved at her.

"See ya later Ran-chan."

Sliding the door closed, Matsumoto shook her head and slipped into a shunpo. What she would give to know what they were talking about. Gin never did anything without an intention, though it may not seem like it at times. There must have been a reason why he had sought out her captain. Biting her lip, Matsumoto made her decision.

**Remember that it was 'curiosity that killed the cat'.**

* * *

She silently thanked whatever god was watching her for the rain, even if it soaked her from head to toe. The background noise would help hide her presence to the two captains talking in the room. Anything to help hide the fact that she was listening in on her superiors' conversations was welcomed. All she could do now was hope they were to distracted to sense her poorly concealed reiatsu.

Leaning against the wet wood of the veranda, she looked out at the hidden garden behind the captain's office. It had been harder than she had expected to find it while jumping across the tenth division's buildings. It had been a relief to find that the two light-haired captains were still talking when she finally did find it. Now she was sitting in on the soggy ground by the wooden deck outside the office's doors. She could just hear the voices over the light drizzle.

"Think 'bout it Mini-taichou." The soft, teasing voice of her childhood friend floated through the paper doors. "Tha's all I ask."

"It's a violation of the rules. Why would I need to think about it?" The gruff sound of her captain's voice quickly followed. She could hear the anger in his voice and wondered what they were talking about that had gotten the boy so worked up.

"Come now Mini-taichou. Ya think I care 'bout somethin' like tha'?" She could hear the smile in his voice. "Are da rules really right? Who decides wha's right and wrong? Where is da truth?" The smirk in his voice was so clear she could see it plastered on his face. "Do ya know where it is Mini-taichou?" There was a pause and rustling sound as someone moved. "Here. This is da only place where it is."

There was a disbelieving snort and she could picture the prodigy crossing his arms and giving his are-you-stupid- glare. "Can you honestly say that your thinking is right?" The chuckle that always chilled her to her bones rumbled over the steady beating of the rain.

"Very good Mini-taichou. I can't say it, but who can?" The rustling continued. "Not even yours or even da old General's."

"I will not be come involved in whatever your planning Ichimaru. Nothing you can say will convince me otherwise."

"Ya sure Hitsugaya- kun?" There was a moment of silence before the man chuckled again. "Very well. I'll see ya around then Mini- taichou." The sound of the front door opening floated over to her and she hopped to her feet. Without something to occupy his mind, Hitsugaya would notice her for sure. She really didn't want to explain why she was sneaking around and listening in on his conversations.

Slipping into a shunpo that would place her a hallway a few minutes from the office, she landed and ignored the surprised looks from her subordinates. A cup of tea would really be helpful right now. She was dripping wet and her mind was buzzing with the overheard conversation. What had they been talking about? What was Gin planning that the young captain was so against?

Turning a corner, she blinked as she hit something warm. Looking up into a smiling face, she felt a blush rise to her face. "Enjoy ya break Ran-chan?" The grin widened and he leaned in. "Do me a favor and take care of Mini-taichou for me. He's too valuable ta lose." His warm breath tickled her ear as he chuckled. "Ya got better at sneaking around Ran-chan. I hardly noticed ya there." He pulled back and smirked at her stunned expression.

"See ya around Ran-chan!" He waved and disappeared around the corner. Several of the division's members stared at her for a moment as if wondering if it was worth it to ask if she was alright. Shaking her head and spraying a passing shinigami with water, she frowned. How did he do that? Why was Gin still such a mystery after al these years?

Finally moving from her position in the middle of the corridor, she rubbed her temples in a way she had seen Hitsugaya do. Maybe a cup of tea wasn't going to be enough. Yup. A bottle of sake was definitely in order.

* * *

Dry and warm clothes having replaced her sopping ones, she tiptoed through the halls.

Not many people would be awake now. It was actually weird for her to up at this time too, but she knew one very important person who would be.

The rain still splattered against the walls and drummed against the roof. It was so peaceful. If she hadn't had so much to think about, she would be snuggled tightly in her bed, dead asleep. However, she did have a lot to think about and her brain wouldn't let her sleep, no matter how much her body complained.

In the dim lights, the images of her nightmare flashed across her mind's eyes. Along with the overheard conversation she heard earlier, he mind refused to stop churning. However, there was one thing that was prominent in all her thoughts.

Hitsugaya.

The office doors appeared before her, and she quietly slide them open. Stepping inside, she slid the doors closed behind her. It was quiet, even fro this time of night. The absence of the scratching of the boy's dutiful pen was as obvious as a wreaking ball slamming through the wall.

Glancing over at the desk, she felt a smile pull at her lips.

The tiny figure was hunched over the large desk, head pillowed by his crossed arms. His hand still held his pen, poised to finish the document on the desk. His soft breathing was the only sound beside the rain. His face had lost its strictness and been transformed into that of a defenseless child.

Tiptoeing over to the desk, she carefully placed the steaming cup of tea in her hand on the corner of the desk. The blond lightly ran a hand through his white soft locks. A line appeared between his brows as he scrunched his nose but didn't wake up. Chuckling to herself, she grabbed the blanket she usually used off the back of the couch and gently draped it over his thin shoulders.

If this continued, she would have to force him to begin to take care of himself. He needed to learn that his personal health was more important than the division.

A catlike grin crossed her features as she settled onto the couch and looked at the sleeping boy. She almost wished this would continue. The prospect of treating the genius like the boy he was promised to be a whole lot of fun for her and probably the rest of Seireitei.


	11. Sleep

**I'M SORRY!** I know this took forever and I apologize. This chapter was just so annoying and never turned out how I wanted it to. I still didn't get half of what I wanted to in the chapter. This is pretty much a filler. It's also really short. I just needed to get this out of the way so I could get to the next part. The next chapter will return to the plot, I promise. I'm also going to try and update this every month now since I'm done with Prophecy. I'm going to wait as long as I did this time. Did I mention I was sorry?

I'm sorry this is so late and so short. Feel free to yell at me all you want.

I don't own Bleach. 'Sleep' is by Poets of the Fall

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Sleep

Matsumoto felt her lips strain as she willed herself not to smile. Oh! But how tempting it was, especially with the diminutive captain glaring at her. She peeked up through her bangs and felt her body convulse with laughter. She coughed to hide it, schooling her features as she sat up straight in her chair and met her captain's eye.

The blue depths were cold and hard, promising severe punishment for any sign of laughter. The boy obviously wasn't sharing her enjoyment in the situation. "Taichou?" Her voice was laced with so much sugary sweetness she almost gagged on her own words. Hitsugaya didn't seem to appreciate the pleasant tone. In fact, it seemed to only incite his anger. "Is...." The blond vice-captain quickly coughed to hide the snicker that had sneaked up on her. "Is something wrong?"

If the prodigy hadn't been standing two feet away from her she would have smacked herself. Of course something was _wrong_! The complete _wrongness_ of the situation was so obvious, Tousen would even have been able to see it. Smiling innocently, the blond prayed that the white-haired boy would only freeze her for an hour or so.

"Why don't you tell me?" She winced and ducked back behind her bangs. This wasn't good. He only saved that tone for when he was pissed. Swallowing nervously, Matsumoto tried to smile again.

"What... what do you mean Taichou?" The temperature dropped and the hair on her arms stood on end.

"Matsumoto." She could almost hear the dragon's angry growl in the boy's warning. No doubt the beast wasn't entirely happy about the situation either. "You better start explaining before I have you demoted. Now."

"Well you see... I was talking to Ukitake-taichou and...."

"Why?" Matsumoto winced at the anger starting to trickle through his voice. It didn't look like this was going to end well.

"I was delivering papers to him. And, well, I might have mentioned how you haven't been feeling well lately and...."

"I'm feeling fine. What made you think otherwise?" Biting her lip, the blond tried to keep from ranting about his sudden lack of personal care. The last few weeks she had been watching as her charge became skinnier and paler, the dark rings under his eyes more pronounced than ever. He had almost scared her to death one night. She knew the subtle hints she had been dropping were being picked up, but he continued to ignore her. Well, no more. Brushing off the train of thought she decided to ignore the question and continue with her story.

"So he gave me something that he said would make you feel better." The sickly man had actually suggested something a little less severe, but the prodigy didn't need to know that. If he thought Ukitake was partly to blame, maybe she would thaw out by next week. Right now, eating and sleep would help improve his health more than any medicine. The man had made an offer that the vice-captain couldn't refuse though. The white-haired boy had to understand that he was just that, a boy.

The boy-genius scoffed and glared motioned toward his desk. "So covering my desk in candy is supposed to make me feel better? I don't see how." Matsumoto looked at the desk and felt another smile threaten to crack her face. The once clean surface could no longer be seen, covered by a mountain of colorful saran-wrapped goodies. They spilled over the desk and chair onto the floor where they pooled around it in a rainbow puddle.

It was supposed to be another subtle hint, but her overtired mind had been more creative than she had planned. Now it was nothing near subtle. She glanced at the mountain again and looked back at the furious captain. A smile spread across her face despite her determination to keep it off and laughter made her double over. No. All hope of subtlety had vanished when the boy had woken up to find himself buried beneath a year's worth of sugary treats, courtesy of the thirteenth division .

The laughter grew until she was gasping for breath. The look on his face had been beyond priceless. The look of terror and then shocked realization that had crossed his features would be forever imprinted in her mind. Even standing above her, reiatsu flaring dangerously in his anger, she couldn't think of him as her superior. Not with smudges of candy on his skin and wrappers and opened treats stuck in his wild hair. He looked like a kid that had jumped into a pile of candy, which wasn't to far from the truth actually.

Except, he was the one berating her instead of the other way around.

"Matsumoto!" His warning growl only redoubled her laughter until she couldn't support herself and giggled into her desk. The white-haired boy's face contorted in fury. "I hope you are enjoying this Matsumoto, because you are not going to be leaving that seat for the next century." The laughter instantly died as the blond jolted up in her seat. A satisfied smirk pulled at the boy's lips. He looked like a cat that had finally caught the allusive mouse.

"But...but Taichou!" The whine in her voice made the young captain wince. A sharp glare and a twenty degree drop in the temperature shut the buxom woman's mouth.

"Anymore arguments Matsumoto- _fukutaichou_ and I will report you to the general under charges of insubordination." His cold gaze stopped any rebuttals. Glaring at the boy and poking her tongue out at him as he turned, the vice-captain crossed her arms over her large chest and pouted. She only perked up when the boy moved to leave the office for the first time in a week.

"Where are you going Taichou?"

"You don't expect me to walk around like this for the entire day do you?" Some of the anger had left his tone as he glanced back over his shoulder. "I'll be back within the hour. I expect this room to be candy-free when I get back. You are also to recopy the documents you ruined with your little prank while I'm gone."

"But Taichou...." The door to the room shut with a bang, effectively cutting the blond off from her complain. Settling back into her chair, the vice-captain frowned at the candy-covered desk and the pile of work beneath it. Oh how she hated paperwork! Sighing in defeat, Matsumoto pulled out a flask of sake hidden in her desk and took a swig. This was going to take a while. The brat was lucky. If she hadn't promised to take care of him and help him in his captaincy, he would be dealing with a lot of sticky filing and a missing vice-captain.

With the image of the sugarcoated boy playing through her thoughts, the vice-captain smiled. At least maybe he'd finally learn not to work himself until he collapsed at his desk. Ukitake still had another bag of candy waiting for her beck and call after all.

* * *

The sake swished around in its container as the blond twirled the bottle in between her fingers. A frown pulled down at the corners of her lips. Her grey eyes glared at the other desk in the room.

Where was he?

Downing the last mouthful of alcohol, the strawberry- blond slammed the porcelain jug down on the table. All that talk about punishing her if she didn't finish the work by the time he got back, and he hadn't even returned! The diminutive captain had left four hours ago and hadn't been seen since, leaving all the paperwork for his vice-captain.

By now, half of Seireitei must be laughing at her. She was the idiot lieutenant who lost track of her captain. She swore the last three shinigami had smiled when she said that she didn't know where the boy was. Was this some kind of joke?

Closing her eyes, the buxom woman took a deep breath. Extending her senses, she tried to find the freezing reiatsu that had become so familiar. Her anger only deepened when she immediately found the spirit energy. He was still in the division's barracks. What the hell was he doing that took four hours?

Haineko grumbled something in her mind about overreacting. Matsumoto just made sure to 'accidently' hit the zanpakutou against her desk when she picked up the sword. The hell cat growled at her in response.

Keeping her senses open, the blond walked through the compound's corridors, trying not to let her reiatsu flare too much. Judging from the looks of wonder and fright on her subordinates' faces, she wasn't doing a very good job. The brat was going to pay. All that work for nothing. If she had known he wouldn't be coming back, she would have taken her time. It also would have saved her from all the worrying. That boy was seriously going to give her grey hairs. It wasn't like him to suddenly disappear without telling her first.

**Mother hen.** The teasing voice chuckled in her head. **You think by now you would learn that the boy can take care of himself. **

"_I'm __**not**__ being overprotective. Plus, it's the vice-captain's job to watch their captain's back. It' s my job to worry. "_

**Yes, but you take that to a whole new level. Leave him be. He must have a good reason for not returning.** Ignoring the cat's superior tone, Matsumoto quickly jogged up the stairs to the second level of the building. The floor was mostly used for bedrooms and common rooms for the seated officers of the division. As the day ended, the area became packed with people.

Moving through the crowd of bodies with relative ease, Matsumoto ignored the rest of the shinigami, her mind bent on finding her young charge. The sea of people diminished as she entered the area where the higher ranked officers lived. Only a few of them roamed the halls and sat in the common room. The cold energy was getting closer.

Turning a corner, she skidded to a halt as a pair of doors blocked her way. Everything beyond that point was the captain's quarters. Eyebrows furrowed in confusion, Matsumoto knocked on the wooden frame.

No answer. Another series of knocks, this time louder, only achieved the same results. Trying to decide whether to be worried for her captain or mad that was ignoring her, the vice-captain decided there was only one way to find out. When the doors refused to slide open, the woman glared at the small lock latching the doors together. Sliding Haineko out of its sheath, she whispered its command and name.

The sword dissipated into ash, hovering around it wielder. With a flick of her wrist, the particles shot into the crack between the doors. There was a grinding noise and a small clink as the ash cut through the lock and the two pieces hit the door. Grinning, Matsumoto pulled the doors open and entered.

The room was large. It was about the size of one of the common rooms, furniture and accessories included in the layout. A door led into what she believed was the bathroom and a screen separated the main room from another part. Everything was neat and in order, which wasn't much of a surprise to the blond. The room was dark, but there didn't seem to be any sign of a struggle.

Calling Haineko back, Matsumoto carefully walked into the room. Her senses stretched to their maximum, a wave of relief washed over her as she felt the boy's presence behind the screen. "Taichou? What are you doing up here?" Not sensing anyone else in the room, Matsumoto relaxed. Striding over to the screen, she slipped behind it.

Her eyes widened.

The walled off part of the room served as the bedroom. A closet was opened, revealing the shinigami robes and a few clothes she hadn't seen the boy wear since they had met in Rukongai. A desk was pushed against the corner, a few papers stacked neatly in the corner. Another door lead out to a small deck that overlooked the captain's garden. In the middle of the room, a futon was spread out. Her young captain was curled up under the blankets.

The boy was completely transformed. The hard lines on his brow were smoothed out in sleep. The tense atmosphere had dissipated into a more peaceful aura around the boy. His calculating eyes were lightly closed, the dark circles under them more prominent on the skin. His lips were slightly parted, his even breathing making his thin chest rise and fall in rhythm. He looked like a cherub in the silver moonlight, something she doubted he would appreciate being compared to.

Kneeling down next to the sleeping boy, the woman smiled wryly. Stubborn brat couldn't have just done this in the first place? Shaking her head, Matsumoto chuckled. Of course not. That would have been to easy. Staring lovingly at the boy, she reached out and flicked a strand of white hair away form his face. He really had to do something it. It was starting to get to long and untamed.

As soon as her fingers touched the lock, the temperature dropped. The boy-genius's body froze under her touch and she felt his wiry muscles tense. There was a moment of silence were the world seemed to stop, the vice-captain waiting for the boy to attack her in his half-conscious state. The moment passed as Hitsugaya released a frustrated and annoyed sigh, his body relaxing.

"What are you doing here Matsumoto?" His voice was rough with sleep and he cleared his throat as his voice cracked from the short period of disuse. It took all her will power to not laugh or crush him in a hug. He was too cute for his own good. Her anger at the boy for not coming back to the office was quickly disappearing and being replaced by the need to baby the boy.

"Nothing Taichou, just making sure you still remember how to use a futon." The boy growled under his breath and sat up to glare at her. "Maybe now you won't have to fall asleep in the office again." The boy didn't respond, but settled for looking at the blond as if he was worried for her sanity. He moved to stand, but a hand pushed him back into the mattress. "I don't think so. You've been working to hard. The division can last a few hours without you, you know. Go back to sleep or I'll tell Hinamori. She won't be too happy that you haven't been sleeping." The threat did the trick and the young captain, with one last deadly glare, laid back on his bed. It was only a matter of minutes until he was asleep again, a testament to how much he needed this. The blond silently tiptoed out of the room, smile pulling at her lips.

The smile feel form her face when the dark form of a hell-butterfly rounded the corner. It gently landed on her finger and the authoritative voice emitted from the small insect. "Orders from Yamamoto-soutaichou. The tenth division's Hitsugaya-taichou is to report to the first division tomorrow morning at 0600 hours." The butterfly, done with its message, took flight and exited through the window.

Matsumoto frowned. Why did she have such a bad feeling about this?


	12. Here We Go Again

Hey there! I'm finally back to regularly writing for this fic now, so the updates shouldn't be three months apart. I'm going to try and aim for around a month. We'll see how long that lasts. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! you guys are seriously inflating my ego. haha! :) I hope you guys enjoy.

I don't own Bleach. 'Here We go Again' is by Paramore

Many thanks to _toushiro1310_ who has kindly offered to stop me from butchering the english language. Thanks shiro!

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Here We Go Again

The wood cracked and popped as the fire ate away at the kindling. Several of identical small fires burned in the opening, casting shadows along the fringe of trees and making the darkness seem alive. The group's attention wasn't on the living shadows, however. Peals of laughter rose up into the night with a smoke from the fires.

Matsumoto felt her cheeks burn as the muscles protested the smile that covered her features for the umpteenth time. The shinigami grouped around the same fire chuckled as one of the men across from her finished with his story. Waiting for commands from Seireitei, the small attack unit didn't have much to do in the vast forest surrounding. It wasn't long until stories and jokes were shared and laughter flitted around the clearing.

The next storyteller cleared his throat after taking a swig of water from the jug. The group subconsciously leaned forward, eager for another adventure that would pass the time. Matsumoto excused herself before the tale began, noticing the absence of someone at the various groups around the fires.

It was to be expected, she guessed. Even after all this time as captain, Hitsugaya still wasn't completely accepted by some of the division's members. The room tended to go quiet when he entered, all eyes glued on him. The newer recruits were more terrified of the boy than anything. It was actually quite entertaining to watch them fumble around in the presence of someone younger than themselves. The ones that had been there longer quietly grumbled to themselves about how someone so young shouldn't have such an important role. There were those that respected him, though. They saw him for the prodigy that he was and showed him the admiration and loyalty he deserved. The boy-genius was stuck between two worlds. On one hand, he was too young to be accepted by the older, higher-ranked shinigami. On the other, he was the superior of shinigami around his age and even those far older than himself.

Leaving the light of the fires behind, the blond strode over to the shadows just on the edge of the firelight, close enough to be in the clearing, but far enough to not be part of the group. Sitting in the shadows with his back to a tree, the white-haired boy stared at the fires with narrowed, glazed eyes. Hyourinmaru was leaning against his shoulder, ready to be drawn if needed, but still in a non-threatening position. She could almost see his mind work as the captain silently communicated with his beloved zanpakutou, dead to his surroundings.

Or not.

Silent as her step was, his teal eyes flashed open at her approach and his brow furrowed slightly. "What is it, Matsumoto?" His tone wasn't angry, just curious. The vice-captain took that as a good sign. The boy had been acting strangely ever since his meeting with Yamamoto-soutaichou. When asked about it, he had just responded that it was to give him the current assignment, but the blond thought otherwise. He had been far too distracted for it to have just been a meeting about their mission.

"Nothing, Taichou. I was just wondering if you would like to join us." Matsumoto winced. There was no way he couldn't have heard the worry in her voice. A quirked eyebrow was the only indication he picked up her tone, however, his sharp eyes moving to look past her at the fires. "It's warmer by the fires."

"I prefer the cold." Again, the mocking, are-you-an-idiot tone wasn't in his voice. He was just stating a fact, nothing more. She knew he hated heat and she knew he knew she knew. Usually, he wouldn't have answered at all, just given her a look that clearly questioned her IQ level. They hadn't had one of their arguments in what seemed like forever.

"You're no fun, Taichou. It's so boring sitting over here by yourself."

"I'm not by myself anymore." A smile made the edges of her lips twitch. So he wasn't totally gone. The know-it-all attitude had peeped through for a moment. Even a ghost of his usual smirk had appeared.

"C'mon Taichou. It'll be fun." They both knew it wouldn't. The odds of the group suddenly going quiet as soon as he sat down weren't good. As much as he refused to admit it, it bothered him that he was such an outcast in his own division. When the boy shook his head, Matsumoto pouted and plopped down in front of him. Hitsugaya blinked in surprise before his calm facade reappeared. "Then I'll just have stay. I can't have my cute little captain getting lonely." She was goading him now, using all the words he usually berated her for. When even that didn't get a reaction, the blond bit her lip in worry. Crossing her over arms over her chest, Matsumoto deepened her pout. "You're no fun,Taichou."

The young captain didn't answer. The two sat in silence for a moment, before the serious teal eyes landed on her, seeming to glow in the darkness. "Matsumoto." The vice-captain looked up at her superior, questions shining in her eyes.

"Yes?" Scowling, the boy made a sound of frustration and looked away. His brows furrowed again.

"It's nothing. Forget it." Matsumoto felt her temper flare, but just patiently waited for the boy to finish speaking. When he showed no signs of continuing the conversation, she sighed heavily.

"You and Gin are exactly the same! You never tell me anything and just expect me to figure it out for myself. It's infuriating you know?" The pout had turned into a scowl as her tone demanded an answer. Hitsugaya's eyes widened for a split second before narrowing into slits. After a moment, the prodigy snorted and leaned back against the tree, arms crossed over his chest and eyes closed. Sighing again and cursing the boy for ruining her good mood, the vice-captain got up to leave.

"What do you know about Ichimaru?" Stopping her tracks, the strawberry-blond frowned and turned to face her superior. His eyes were open again, the glowing orbs focusing on her.

"What?" His expression didn't change, but she knew he wasn't going to repeat himself. He never did unless he thought it was absolutely needed. He knew she had heard him. "Not much, though we grew up together. Why, Taichou?" A frown marred the boy's pale features, and she knew he no longer saw her. He had escaped into his mind. "Taichou?"

"Do you know what he's been doing lately? Has he said anything to you recently?"

"No. He's always kept to himself, even when we were little. He was always independent." Her voice faded away as she looked at the dancing shadows. "Why would he suddenly include me now?" Tears burned her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Hitsugaya grunted and tilted his head to look back to look at the canopy above them. "Why are you so interested in Gin Taichou?"

It was his turn to sigh. Shifting, the young captain's eyes were once again on her. Matsumoto felt all hope of returning to the laughing troops vanish with that look. Something was wrong. Her back instinctively straightened and her jaw hardened in anticipation. With another sigh, the boy relaxed and motioned shook his head. "Just be careful Matsumoto. I don't want anything going wrong."

Nodding, the blond excused herself and rejoined the circle around the fire, but all thoughts of joining in the activities were gone. The boy was worried about something and he was keeping it from her.

Deep in thought, she didn't notice the hollows until their roars reverberated through her frame.

"Sit upon the frozen heavens, Hyourinmaru!"

* * *

Her ankle hurt.

And her head, and her arm, and her chest, but mostly her ankle. Every second she put weight on it was another second of agony. Some hollow had snuck up on her while she was busy killing one of its fellows and sliced through most of the necessary muscles and ligaments. Now the wound throbbed with white fire and the blood made her footing less than satisfactory. Needless to say, the damn hollow had met a very slow and cruel death.

Her current opponent was at least as tall Captain Komamura, with lanky arms that touched the ground, and fingers that looked more like a collection of zanpakutous on each hand. Beady, yellow eyes hungrily watched her move . Another hollow that resembled a moving mound of dirt with a mouth shifted around her, probably waiting for the perfect time to attack. With a roar, the tall hollow jumped at her, hand trying to rip through her neck. Blocking the first hand with Haineko, Matsumoto ducked beneath the next attack, hissing as her ankle sent a searing pain through her leg.

The creature's momentum kept it moving and a quick flick of her wrist sent the hollow to its death. Before she could retract her extended arm, something hard and heavy slammed into her back. With her poor footing, the extra weight easily made the vice-captain stumble. Three hollows suddenly saw her weakness and jumped at her, teeth, claws, and whatever other weapons bared. Gritting her teeth and cursing the blasted rock hollow, Matsumoto held out her zanpakutou. "Growl, Haineko." The sword dissolved and a protective shield of ash formed around her.

Two of the monsters weren't quick enough to stop and they screamed in pain as the broken sword pieces cut into their flesh. Silently willing the hellcat to maintain the shield, she looked at her surroundings. From her spot on the ground, she could see four other shinigami holding off the oncoming hollows. Blood trickled down their faces and limbs as the wave of attackers continued to come. Something was wrong. These hollow were much more advanced than usual. They knew how to work in a group, and were using that to their advantage. Memories of her last mission dealing with these strange, stronger hollows flashed across her mind. No. That had not ended well. Maybe Captain Ukitake's suspicions about someone genetically altering the hollows weren't as farfetched as she had thought. Seireitei would have noticed if their enemy had begun to evolve. These hollows just seemed to pop out of nowhere.

The hellcat gave a warning in her mind and she rolled out of the way. The hollow had slipped past Haineko's defenses and had slammed a giant hand into the spot she had been seconds before. Holding out her hand, the blond shouted, "Hadou 1: Trust!" Fueling her reiatsu into the attack, the monster was pushed back into the wall of ash. It was torn into shreds as it passed through the particles.

"Haineko!" The ash jumped back onto the hilt still in her hand. With a horizontal slash, she sliced through the arm of an incoming hollow. Turning as it roared in pain and grabbing the stump of its arm, she blocked the attack from behind that was aimed to dislodge her head from her shoulders. A quick shunpo placed her behind the creature and blood spurted from the long, diagonal wound across its chest.

Pain laced up her arm as a pair of hollows attacked her in union, forcing her to take a hit in order to avoid a more fatal one. Blood flowed freely down her arm and the hollow chuckled, its bug-like face clicking as it laughed. The long talons it had lodged in her arm tore through her skin as it slashed at her face. She grimaced but blocked the next attack with her zanpakutou. The resounding clash caught the attention of more hollows.

There was a scream, a human scream, that could be heard over the fighting. Matsumoto felt her blood run cold and she glanced over to see one of the shinigami from earlier fall, claws in his gut. The hollow grinned at its kill, red eyes flashing in the light of the forgotten fires. A kidou took out the hollow and someone rushed over to assist the injured man.

Anger fueling her actions, the blond pivoted on the spot, ignoring the pain shooting through her ankle and arm, she slashed at the nearby creatures. Taken back by the unexpected attack, many of the monsters fell, wounded or killed. She felt the soft presence of someone's reiatsu as they tried to heal the fallen shinigami. Finishing with her attack, the vice-captain clapped her hands together and built up her reiatsu. "Hadou 54: Abolishing Flames." Thrusting her hands out, purple fire danced form her fingers and exploded outward in an arc. Everything the demon art touched caught fire and burned until it was nothing but ash in an instance. The amount of Hollows significantly less, but her spiritual reserves also suffering from the attack, Matsumoto rushed over to pair of shinigami, the other officers taking her spot. "How is he?"

The healer looked up, sweat pouring down his face, his green eyes glazed. "He'll live. We have to stop this attack, though. I'll move him over to where the others are." The man looked her over and his brown eyebrows furrowed. "Are you alright Matsumoto- fukutaichou?"

"I'll be fine. Save your strength for those who need it. Now go. I'll give you two cover." The healer nodded and gently picked up his companion. "Oh..." He turned as the blond called him back. "Have you seen Hitsugaya- taichou?"

"No, fukutaichou. I'm sorry, I haven't since the battle began." A hollow growled and charged at them. The man nodded his good-bye and disappeared in a shunpo. Twisting her blade around, she caught it between the creature razor sharp teeth and stopped the attack. Dancing around the next few attacks, she rolled beneath another hollow's wild swing and stabbed the first creature in the gut. A shunpo later, the second had fallen.

"Menos! Menos! In the sky!" Calls for help and attempts to organize were joined by a sudden screech. The ground air shifted and a ripple in the sky opened, revealing six of the giant Menos. With a collective screech they tumbled from the tear in dimensions and the ground shook. Carefully gauging her remaining reiatsu, Matsumoto flew through the forest. She winced as her ankle protested the action and she skidded to a stop. The towering monsters groaned as they destroyed the surrounding woods.

The release of several attack oriented kidou and a few binding attacks flew at the black bodies. Screeches that threatened to explode eardrums reverberated through the air. Battles cries answered the sound as at least thirty shinigami attacked the creatures. The rest were busy taking on the lesser hollows around the area. Leaning against a tree to regain her breath and rest her injured foot, Matsumoto opened her senses to the happenings on the battlefield. Her reiatsu brushed against the other shinigamis' and the hollows'. Thankfully, she was far enough away that she wasn't directly involved with the fighting, and there weren't any hollows in the immediate vicinity.

"Matsumoto?" Her grey eyes flashed open, even though she never remembered closing them. Blinking the blurriness away, she looked up to see her young captain looking down at from a tree branch.

"Taichou!" He didn't seem to be injured. His haori was torn and dirty and there was a shallow cut above his right eye along with a mismatched piece of hair above that area, but he seemed no worse for wear. She tried to stand on her own, but her ankle was finally getting its way and refused to obey. When she wobbled, the boy frowned and jumped down from the tree, landing silently on the grass.

"Go see the medics, Matsumoto. You're not fit to fight if you can't even stand. We have things handled here."

"But Taichou...." There was definitely a whine in her voice. A sharp look from the prodigy stopped her.

"Do not needlessly endanger yourself, Matsumoto. Didn't you teach me that? You're no good to us if you die from overworking yourself. Now..." He was cut off as the two heads of the tenth division tensed and a roar broke through the fighting.

Hitsugaya cursed and Matsumoto couldn't help but agree with him. There weren't many things that had such a raw spiritual power that they could be sensed over the power of six Gillian. The prodigy glared toward the direction of the noise before returning his gaze to his subordinate. "Go find a medic, Matsumoto. Then, help organize the forces here."

"And where are you going?"

"That's an order, Matsumoto."

'Don't tell me you're going after it by yourself! I'm going with you, Taichou." The shocking blue eyes met hers clearly questioning if she had thought before she spoke. The blond refused to be daunted by the look and used her height to her advantage, recognizing it as a low blow even as she towered over the boy. "It's my job to watch your back. I can't do that if I'm here. I'm coming with you."

"Matsumoto." The warning had been growled in such a low tone that the woman blinked in surprise. "You're injured. I'm not stupid enough to bring an injured person to fight off and Adjucha. Go get help. Then help out here. End of discussion. That's an order."

Unable to keep the scowl off her face, the vice-captain glared at the young captain. His blue eyes seemed to glow in the shade of the trees, giving them a dangerous feel. A cold wind swept from the direction of the boy. For the first time since she had met him, Matsumoto was afraid, _truly_ afraid or her commander. It finally dawned on her how strong and powerful he really was. She couldn't even hope to beat him in a fight.

Seeing that the woman showed no more signs of arguing, the white-haired boy nodded and disappeared. Sighing, Matsumoto felt the old fire building up inside. Whether he liked it or not, she was his vice-captain and guardian. If there was a chance that she could keep him from getting hurt, she was going to take it.

Ten seconds after the prodigy had left, the vice-captain jumped into a shunpo, following the thin trail her captain had left behind.


	13. Long Road to Ruin

I don't own or take credit for Bleach or any of its characters. "Long Road to Ruin" is by Foo Fighters

Many thanks to toushiro1310 for betaing for me. You have all been saved from trying to interperate my grammar.

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**Long Road to Ruin**

Matsumoto scowled. Even though she had left only a few seconds after the boy, she was having trouble following him. In hindsight, she probably should have listened to him and seen a medic first. Her ankle was throbbing and each step was agony. Her vision kept swimming and sweat streamed down her forehead. Her reiatsu was draining quickly along with her energy. The possibility of her collapsing somewhere in this forest was growing with every second.

The only thing that kept her tied to reality was the thing trail of icy reiatsu left in the air where the young captain had been. Her mind had given up on trying to reason with her and was slowly shutting down. Her complete attention was on that trail. She was so engrossed in finding the boy, it took her a minute to realize that all sounds of the forest and the fight she had left had suddenly vanished suddenly. Panic struck her before she felt the corrupt reiatsu in the air. The Adjucha was near, it's spirit energy enclosing the area and muffling all sounds.

An animalistic scream resounded throughout the silence. A fresh batch of adrenaline pumped through her body and some of the exhaustion disappeared. Unfortunately, adrenaline has the tendency to make all sense of reason fly right out the window. Not that what she was doing was smart in the first place. The hormone flowed through her veins and she found herself heading toward the source of the noise without any type of plan in her head. A small voice that sounded disturbingly like Hitsugaya told her that she wasn't in the best condition to fight an Adjucha and that if she had any sense of self-preservation she would turn around and do what her superior had told her to do. With a frown, she abruptly pushed the voice aside and continued on her way.

The air chilled and her breath came out in foggy wisps. An irrational smile pulled at her lips. She was getting closer. She could see light up ahead as the trees cleared to reveal a flat plain. A wall of rock shot up from the ground on the other side of the clearing, creating an impenetrable wall. The plain was probably the worst place to fight. There was no form of cover or protection and anything that happened to be in the area was clearly visible. Even though they were around three hundred feet away from her, Matsumoto could easily spot the boy and his opponent.

There was no question if it was an Adjucha or not. The amount of raw reiatsu rolling off of it was enough to tell. It was hunched over, resting on all four appendages. It's arms were large and beefy, muscles rippling under the tight, leathery skin. Its head was supported by a small neck, and looked like a deformed tiger. The nose was missing, leaving a depression in the middle of its face. Large teeth protruded from its jaws, dirty saliva dripping from the fangs. Its eyes were large and intelligent, watching the small captain in front of him from behind its mask.. Large avian wings were pulled tight against its hunched back, the feathers rustling each time the creature moved. The hole was right over its heart.

Swallowing the bile that rose into her throat as the hollow's spiritual pressure hit her full force, the vice-captain anxiously glanced at her captain, only two-thirds the size of the beast he was fighting. He had released Hyourinmaru, the zanpakutou in one hand, the sickle in his other. She couldn't see his expression clearly, but she could imagine him with his trademark scowl. One of his sleeves had been torn off and the thin arm beneath had a nasty gash under his shoulder, the red blood trickling down the limb.

The Adjucha lifted its head into the air and sniffed. Hitsugaya tensed and prepared to attack. A cruel grin split the creature's face. "Fresh blood." It turned its head and locked eyes with her, the large orbs filled with bloodlust. Hitsugaya followed its gaze and froze, staring in disbelief at her. "Tasty, fresh blood. Looks like I won't have to fight you small shinigami. I have found my snack." The white-haired boy's head snapped back to glare at the beast, but the hollow had already disappeared.

Matsumoto froze as she felt warm breath against her back.

"Hello girly."

"Matsumoto!"

The Adjucha struck, its fangs bared and ready to tear her to shreds.

Haineko flashed as she drew the zanpakutou from her hip and twisted. The hollow's long teeth caught on the sword and stopped the fatal attack. Matsumoto was pushed back with the force of the blow. Gritting her teeth as her arm and ankle protested the sudden increase in weight, the blond glared at the Menos.

The air around her chilled and a sharp sickle cut into the Adjucha's arm. Pulling the chain taught, Hitsugaya coldly watched as the beast struggled. Giving the chain a sharp tug, the sickle cut into the muscle in the hollow's arm. With a cry, the creature released Haineko in favor of snapping at the white-haired boy. Matsumoto stumbled backward as soon as the weight was off her arms. The wound on her arm had reopened and gushed fresh blood, making her fingers slippery with the liquid.

The Adjucha slashed at the boy with one of its meaty hands. Hitsugaya flipped over the attack, Hyourinmaru cutting a thin line across the beast's wrist. " Die, shinigami!" The other large arm came down on the captain, slamming him onto the ground with a thud. A grin pulled at the creature's features as it reared up on its hind legs, fists poised above the dazed boy.

"Bakudo 8: Repulse!" Matsumoto sighed heavily as she felt a chuck of her remaining reiatsu disappear. It took more energy than she had expected to place a shield on something far away from her and strengthen it enough to stop the Adjucha's hit. Even so, the shield cracked when the hollow hit it. It had served its purpose though. Her captain had finally shaken off the hit.

"Shields won't stop me forever, little shinigami. I will kill you and the girl." Bringing his hands down on the invisible shell, the Adjucha grunted. The shield broke and gave way, and the giant fists left craters in the ground. Grey eyes searched fervently for a sign that the white-haired captain had escaped in time. The air shifted above the hollow's head and her superior stepped out of a shunpo. Hyourinmaru flashed in the light as the boy released a battle cry. It was soon accompanied by a screech of pain from the Menos. Black blood spurted into the air and covered the grass.

Hitsugaya jumped away from the thrashing hollow and landed next to his vice-captain. Eyes never leaving their opponent, he frowned. "What are you doing here Matsumoto? I told you to take care of the Gillian back at camp. You're in no shape to take on an Adjucha right now. Leave while you still can."

"I'm not leaving yet, not until this thing is dead. It's my job to make sure that nothing happens to you." Teal eyes glanced over at her, meeting her gaze for an instant. The blond met his gaze evenly, putting as much determination she could into the gesture. With a weary sigh, the captain lowered his head a fraction of an inch and returned to glaring at the hollow.

"Fine, then. Stay back and cover me. Don't attack unless you have to." Without another word, he charged at the wounded Adjucha. The creature's eyes were clouded by pain and anger. Blood flowed from its shoulder, white bone revealed from the icy captain's attack.

With a roar, the Adjucha ran at the boy, teeth shining. Face unemotional, Hitsugaya tugged sharply at the chain at the pommel of his zanpakutou. The sickle lurched forward and brought he hollow's leg with it. Losing its balance, the creature used its forward momentum to tuck into a roll. The boy-genius shoved off the ground and flipped into the air above the creature. Gathering the sickle again, he aimed it at Adjucha's back. The dangerous, curved blade dug into the hollow's back, leaving a large gash in the monster's side.

Landing gracefully behind the beast, Hitsugaya repositioned his hands on the hilt of his zanpakutou and charged. Twisting around, the Adjucha lashed out with its beefy arm, aiming for the prodigy's head. The boy ducked beneath it and jumped into the air. Hyourinmaru dipped into the brown skin and left a jagged line from the hollow's forearm to his shoulder. Pivoting in the air, Hitsugaya slashed the air, ice forming during his stroke and crashing into the beast. Large wings extended from the hollow's back and knocked the young captain from the air.

The boy landed on his knees, holding his side. His eyes narrowed and ice formed around the hilt of his zanpakutou. "I've had enough, shinigami. This time I'll make sure you don't get back up." The Adjucha charged, fangs ready to rip the boy's flesh from his bones. Getting to his feet, Hitsugaya lowered into a defensive stance.

Matsumoto watched with wide eyes as her captain and charge fought one-on-one with an Adjucha. The same combination of power and grace she had gone against during their spars was now being used to kill the Menos. Black blood covered the grass and mixed with the dirt to create mud. The roars of pain from the hollow were becoming more frequent. Hitsugaya didn't seem to notice the small scratches and gashes he obtained the few times when he didn't block an attack fast enough. It was obvious that the boy was going to win.

The blond frowned. Something was wrong. There was no way this Adjucha was strong enough to control six Gillian and fight a captain for this long. Hitsugaya seemed to have noticed the same thing and had started to use less energy consuming attacks. With one last grunt of effort, the boy jammed his weapon into the Adjucha's throat, killing it. Resealing Hyourinmaru and shoving the blade into the ground to clean it of blood, the boy looked back at his vice-captain, a serious expression on his face. "That wasn't it, was it? There are more." The prodigy nodded at the blond's question.,

"I don't know if this one was working with the other or it was a coincidence, but we should make sure the others are alright first.." He looked her over sternly. "You really don't know how to follow orders do you?" There was a bittersweet undertone in his voice and the blond frowned. He seemed to have noticed the slip too and scowled deeply. "C'mon Matsumoto. You should have your wounds looked at when we get back. They should have taken care of the Gillian by now," he said as he walked back toward camp. Chalking the statement up to another one of his recent weird behaviors, the vice-captain limped after her charge. Maybe she was never meant to understand how the boy's mind worked.

"Yes, Tai... Taichou!" There was a spike in reiatsu from the forest and the two shinigami froze. A white tentacle shot out from the trees and toward the young captain. Senses already stretched to the max, the prodigy saw the projectile coming and raised Hyourinmaru to defend. As if it had a mind of it own, the appendage swerved around the weapon and sliced through the boy's already injured arm. Hitsugaya cried out in surprise and sliced at the tentacle, kneeling down as he tried to stem the blood. Matsumoto hobbled over to the boy, Haineko itching to be released.

The reiatsu permeating from the forest was like a miasma. The woman found herself having trouble breathing as the pressure pushed down on her. She had never felt a hollow that had this much reiatsu. She wouldn't be surprised if the hollow was close to becoming a Vastro Lorde. It wasn't long before she was forced to empty her stomach as she felt the full force of the corrupt spiritual pressure. Next to her, Hitsugaya's eyes were wide in a mixture of amazement and fear before his infamous mask was put back in place.

A dark, silky chuckle filled the silence still hanging over the area. Wiping his mouth, the white-haired prodigy stood up and held Hyourinmaru defensively. "You definitely have spirit, little captain. I must admit. Not many can stay conscious, let alone stand, when I release my reiatsu." The Adjucha finally walked out of the cover of the trees and smirked at the pair. Matsumoto would have gasped if she had the breath.

This was probably the one of the most equipped hollows she had seen. The proportions were almost humanoid with the exception of slightly elongated arms and razor-sharp fingers. The white mask looked like a beetle's head with wicked pincers. On its back, there was a slight bump that looked like a shell covered with spikes. It's feet were shaped like a hawk's, with long, deadly talons on each toe. Thin, sharp fins grew out of its forearms and curled up to its shoulder blades. The traditional hollow hole was in the middle of its forehead.

"Your friend isn't too bad either. She doesn't look as strong as you though." A long black tongue licked where lips should have been. "Your reiatsu tastes wonderful. I can't wait to see how your soul is." The Adjucha crouched into a fighting stance and grinned. "Maybe I can get a good fight going before I eat you. It's been so long since I've had any real competition. Don't disappoint me, little captain." Hitsugaya just glared icily at him and moved into a defensive position in front of the wounded blond.

"Get out of here Matsumoto. This fight is beyond you." There was no cocky tone to his voice. Instead, she could make out a hint of concern in his voice. Her features hardened as she glared at the hollow. This wasn't going to be an easy fight if he was worried before he had even fought with his opponent. "Where did you get that ability?" This was addressed to the smirking Adjucha.

"Recognize it? You should. It belonged to that Adjucha you fought when you just a measly third seat. At least, it did until I ate what remained of him." A twisted grin split the hollow's face. Matsumoto glanced at her superior. He must be talking about that mission the boy had gone on before the captain's exam. There was no emotion on the boy's face as he watched the rather talkative creature. "Remember? No? Well then let me help you!"

The new Adjucha thrust his hands toward the two shinigami. His fingers stretched out and became the white tentacles that had hit Hitsugaya, hovering around the creature. The prodigy paled slightly before tightening his grip on Hyourinmaru. "Get out of here, Matsumoto!" The blond stared at Adjucha. How did the boy expect her to do that when the way towards help was blocked by the hollow?

"I don't think so, little captain. You two aren't going anywhere. Your reiatsu will finally give me enough power to become a Vastro Lorde. Then I can wipe out the rest of your friends." The Adjucha chuckled and held out his hand again, The five tentacles shot out at the shinigami. Tensing, Matsumoto rolled to the side trying to ignore the pain shooting up her leg and arm. Hitsugaya did the same, avoiding the projectiles.

With a flick of its wrist, the Adjucha's elongated fingers twisted and followed the young captain as he dodged. Shoving off the ground with his hands, Hitsugaya flipped away from the attack as the appendages slammed into the spot where he had been standing. Pieces of dirt and grass flew up on impact . Landing in a crouch, the captain leapt at the Adjucha, blade flashing.

The hollow held out his unused arm and Hyourinmaru clashed with the warped fin protruding from its forearm. Hitsugaya glared at the creature, leaning into his attack tot try and win the stalemate. The Adjucha frowned for a second before a cruel smile split its lips. The white-haired boy's eyes widened as he sensed the moving tentacles. Pushing away from the hollow, the boy ducked as the white fingers cut through the air above him. Hitsugaya swung Hyourinmaru in a graceful arc and sliced through the appendages above him. The Adjucha screech in pain and anger and turned back to face the boy.

**It looks like we won't have to do anything. The boy seems to be able to handle this.** Haineko didn't seem disappointed about the lack of fighting. The hellcat stretched lazily. **In fact now would be the perfect time to listen to him and get out of here.** It was true. The Adjucha's attention seemed to be wholly concentrated on the captain. Her ankle and arm gave a rather nasty throb as if in agreement. Matsumoto bit her lip. All her instincts were telling her to run while she had the chance, but something was keeping her rooted to the spot.

The Adjucha let loose a battle cry and leapt at Hitsugaya. It's pincers snapped together as the boy-genius dodged, lashing out with Hyourinmaru. The zanpakutou rebounded off the spiky shell and the hollow turned murderously toward its attacker. The tentacles formed again and the two fighters started another dodging match. Hitsugaya put his size and grace to good use as he twisted and flipped around the appendages. Hyourinmaru took care of the ones that got to close, the sword becoming a blur as it was constantly swung.

Matsumoto's breath caught as one of the tentacles finally got in through the boy's defense. The thin, white appendage slid into the boy's shoulder and pinned him to a tree. Hyourinmaru dropped from the prodigy's hand as his muscles convulsed from the pain. "Go to hell, little captain." Hitsugaya tensed and gritted his teeth, refusing to scream as the skin around the tentacle began to burn.

The decision was made before Matsumoto even realized. Her body moved of its own accord, jumping into a shunpo and drawing Haineko. The zanpakutou sliced through the air and slowed down as it cut into the white flesh of the appendage. Hitsugaya fell to the ground as the tentacle released him and picked his fallen weapon with his good hand, the other hanging lifelessly by his side. The Adjucha seemed to surprised by the blond's attack as if he hadn't expected the vice-captain to be able to move. The surprise soon disappeared into anger as the hollow glared at the woman. "I was going to wait until I finished off the boy, but it seems you want an early death. So be it."

The tentacles sprung from both his hands and raced toward the strawberry-blond. She tensed, preparing to move. The projectiles combined and attacked her as one, slamming into the ground. Haineko bit into several of them before she was forced to move again. She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood as her ankle rolled beneath her. The Adjucha noticed and disappeared in a shunpo. Stretching her senses, Matsumoto twisted around the clawed foot aimed at her back.

Pivoting in the air, the hollow summoned more tentacles that danced around him like a whip. They lashed out at her and caught her cheek, elbow, and thigh. She cried out in surprise as the cuts were burned. Jerking away from the pain, Matsumoto stepped into another shunpo that put her behind the hollow. Haineko flashed as she aimed to cut into the creature's skin during the run. The fins and shell guarded the hollow from her attack. It swung around, sharp fin ready to slice across her face when a chain wrapped around the limb. Both opponents turned to find the young captain standing and glaring at Adjucha and cocky smirk playing at his lips. He must have released his shikai while she was busy fighting the monster.

"You're fight is with _me_!" The hollow blinked before returning the smirk.

"Very well then. Come, so I can kill you quickly. You both have wasted my patience." Hitsugaya leapt at the Adjucha, ignoring the three tentacles that scratched his cheek in the process. The hollow tried to punch him, but he danced around the fist, thrusting Hyourinmaru into its side as soon as he was inside its defenses. The boy whispered his zanpakutou's name and ice cracked as it permeated form the sword. Screaming in pain, the Adjucha thrashed and pulled away from the sword, black blood gushing from its side.

Seeing her chance, Matsumoto jumped at the creature. Haineko dipped into the hollow's flesh, eliciting a cry of pain. A fin cut across her collarbone and she felt warm blood trickle down her skin. Tentacles shot out again, forcing both her and Hitsugaya to dodge. She saw the Adjucha start another sparring match with the prodigy, its tentacles keep her from helping her captain.

With only one working arm, the boy was unable to keep the Adjucha from landing a few hits, though none looked as serious as the one on his shoulder. A rather larger gash appeared across his chest and he hissed. Matsumoto glanced worriedly at the boy before she was forced to block an attacking tentacle. Hitsugaya obviously had better skills with a sword, but his wounds kept him from using any of his more advanced skills and the hollow was winning because of it. The Adjucha knew it too. It was effectively keeping the boy from using any of his attacks by bombarding him with attacks from his fins, claws, and pincers. Losing more blood the longer the fight persisted, the young captain wouldn't be able to last for much longer.

Taking a deep breath, Matsumoto sighed. She had an idea on how to end this, but it would use up the rest of her reiatsu. Narrowing her eyes and steeling herself, the blond built up her remaining reiatsu and waited. She silently said a prayer, hoping that this would be enough to finally end this battle and wouldn't kill her in the process. Hitsugaya glanced over at her once her felt her reiatsu and his eyes widened. "Matsumoto! Don't!"

It was too late, however. She held her arm level with the Adjucha, who had turned to see what the boy was talking about, and smirked. "Hadou 63: Thunder Roar Canon!" A huge wall of yellow energy burst from her. Her vision quickly clouded over and became black. Her knees gave out on her and she collapsed on the ground, unconscious.

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She had never been more bored in her life.

Laying on one of the fourth division's cots for three days straight was the worst. She finally understood why Hitsugaya was so adamant about leaving this place when he was hurt. There was nothing more boring than having to stare at the ceiling all day. A pained groan escaped her lips before she could stop it.

"Matsumoto-fukutaichou? Are you alright?" The woman looked over at her neighbor, one of the four others in the room. Coincidently, it was the same black-haired man she had saved in the forest. He was watching her concernedly, trying to see what was wrong with her.

"No! I'm sooooo bored." She thought she saw the man roll his eyes, but she chose to ignore it. "Nothing ever happens around here!"

"We are trying to help people heal, fukutiachou. It wouldn't be prudent to disturb people who need to sleep in order to heal." Everyone turned to see Unohana walk through the door, a calm smile on her face. "You seem to sleep through everything though, fukutaichou. You missed some interesting visitors." A smile crossed the blond's features as she thought about the trouble Renji, Hisagi, Kira, and any of her other drinking group could cause. She was sorry she had missed it.

The master healer looked at several of the machines attached to the vice-captain and made a note down on the papers she was carrying. "In fact, I believe Hitsugaya- taichou was here, visiting the other members of your division, an hour ago." Matsumoto blinked and wondered if she had heard that right. The healer didn't seem to notice and smiled at the blond. "Your reiatsu levels have almost returned to normal, and your injuries have healed. Your ankle will be sore for a few more days so don't overwork it. So just take it easy for the next few days, and come see me at the end of the week."

"Does this mean I'm free?" She couldn't help the hopefulness that had crept into her voice. Unohana smiled and nodded.

"You are free to go, just remember what I said." Matsumoto smiled and nodded. A few minutes later, she was out of the fourth division and slowly walking toward the tenth's offices. Her ankle still sent pinpricks of pain up her leg with every step, but it was bearable. A sigh escaped her lips as the main building of the division towered over her. Slipping inside, she smiled at the sight. She never thought she would miss the tiny room so much.

Evidence of the prodigy's work was scattered across his desk, and the vice-captain smiled. Of course, he would be right back to work, even after only being released from the fourth's care for a day. Shaking her head, the blond absently picked up a stack, half-heatedly thinking of a place to hide them. She silently shuffled through the pile, groaning at all the boring work that was eventually going to be her responsibility.

"_Wait_." Frowning, Matsumoto pulled the paper she had just shoved back into the pile into her hand. She felt her heart stop and the room go suddenly cold. Swallowing, she stared at the paper, rereading the message again.

"Hitsugaya- taichou, please make sure your room is cleared out. Your official transfer to the captain of the twelfth division will be at the end the week."

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**Hi all! I'm back! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! You guys are awesome. I hope you enjoyed. I'll try and have the next chapter out ASAP. Oh! In case anyone is confused the tentacle hollow refers back to the mission that Hitsugaya led in the fourth chapter. I finally wrote it out. I's called "I Stand Alone" if anyone is interested.**

**Dragonscall**


	14. In Too Deep

Hey. Sorry for the wait. This chapter was doozy and I rewrote it several times before I got this. Good news though. I can officially say that I have had a story posted for over a year now! It was a while ago, but happy birthday GG! Quite a bit of cameos: 4 if I'm correct. The fourth is slightly hidden though. A cookie to whoever guesses who it is. Now watch, its going to be so obvious. -_- Thus is my life. Alright enough complaining. As usual, be kind and tell me what you think even if its that this is horrible.

I do not own Bleach or any of the characters except the random OC. "In Too Deep" is by Genisis.

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**In Too Deep**

It was _mocking_ her.

Narrowing her eyes, Matsumoto ignored the hellcat's chiding remarks. Yes, she knew it was an inanimate object, but she was convinced that some demon had possessed it and was ridiculing her. There was no other way a regularly harmless piece of paper could look so smug.

The sun had begun to set long ago. The room was dark, the lights left unlit as night fell. The sun only left a tiny sliver of light across the sky as it sunk behind the marble buildings of Seireitei. No one had come to visit the office, the deadly aura turning away any who neared the room. Even the dutiful third seat had been unwilling to enter. Matsumoto sat at her desk, pen sitting idly in her hand, work going unfinished. She didn't care. She was too busy having an intense staring match with the transfer notice, and the note was winning. They both knew that there was nothing she could do about it.

Admitting defeat and telling Haineko to shut up, the blond returned to work, hoping the paperwork would distract her long enough for her anger to cool. "_That childish, stupid, short, annoying, know-it-all, holier-than -thou, brat!_" Her mental rant continued as the moon began to climb in the sky. The hellcat in her mind sniffed at the equally childish name calling, but didn't move to stop its wielder. Experience had taught it that interfering with one of the blond's rants only got you in trouble.

"_Why can't he get off his pedestal for one second to tell me that he was transferring? Did it ever occur to him that I _might _want to know about it? That idiot! Does he even care?"_ The blond snorted in disbelief."_When he gets back here, I'm going to...."_ Her pen stabbed viciously at the innocent form before her. With another frustrated huff, Matsumoto flung the destroyed paper into the trash, where it settled with the others she had desecrated.

"What are you doing?" The calm, slightly amused voice broke her out of her violent thoughts. The lieutenant looked up to find the object of her anger step into the room. She silently cursed the legendary stealth that the captains seemed to possess. The boy-genius quirked a delicate white eyebrow at the violent show. The blond found herself automatically examining her charge. His arm was still being supported in a sling, but there were no other signs of the battle he had fought less than a week ago. Unohana really was amazing when it came to healing. Squashing down any joy she felt at seeing the boy in better shape, she let her anger become the prominent emotion.

Obviously feeling the hostility aimed toward him, Hitsugaya didn't wait for a response. His barely audible footsteps were the only noise in the room as he walked over to the switch and turned the lights on. The blond blinked as her eyes readjusted to the brightness. Returning to his desk, heavy silence fell over the pair, only broken by the soft scratching of the captain's diligent pen. The air in the room was tense and Matsumoto thought she might choke if it wasn't broken soon. She refused to lose though. She wasn't going to be the first one to break, no matter how hard it was for her.

The tension dragged on for another hour. The woman changed her glare from the notice to the boy, happy to finally have a living thing under her smoldering gaze, while he continued to ignore her. Feeling a headache starting to form, the second-in-command frowned. There was no way someone could stay silent for so long. It was unnatural! Though, a lot about the boy genius was unnatural.

Matsumoto was completely surprised when the loud clack of wood on wood snapped her out her thoughts. Hitsugaya was watching her, teal eyes unblinking and cold. The blond flinched under the unforgiving stare, but steeled herself. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her squirm. Plastering a large grin on her face, she tilted her head to the side playfully. "Something wrong, Taichou?" She almost smirked as she saw his eye twitch.

"No. Why? Is there anything I should know about, Fukutaichou?" The grin brightened and her lips strained to hold it.

"Nope. Everything's fine, Taichou." Her face was in danger of cracking. The white-haired boy didn't remove his gaze, waiting for her to falter. Well, it wasn't going to happen. The clock on the wall ticked as silence engulfed the room. The woman turned back to her work, trying to ignore the stare boring into her. Matsumoto wanted to cry for joy when the door slid open. She didn't know if she could handle much more of this.

"Shiro-chan! How's your arm?" Hinamori entered the room, either ignoring the tense atmosphere or completely oblivious to it. The boy mumbled something about it being fine and how the sling was more of a hindrance than anything. The younger girl just smiled and wisely chose not to comment. She glanced around the messy desk. "Do you need any help packing?" Hitsugaya shook his head and glanced toward his lieutenant.

"Hitsugaya-taichou?" Hinamori had obviously proven that it was safe enough to enter and Shichiro stuck his head in through the crack between the doors. "The general wants to speak with you. The hell butterfly just left." The boy-genius nodded and thanked the third seat. He apologized to Hinamori for leaving so suddenly. Before he left he glanced back at Matsumoto and she pouted. Now he knew she knew and she wasn't going to let him get away without answering a few questions. From the look on his face, he knew his fate and was already making plans to have some business elsewhere. The strawberry-blond scowled. He may be a brat, but he was a smart and sly brat.

The door snapped shut and silence filled the room once again. Matsumoto had to stop from screaming. The quiet was going to drive her insane! At least the tension had dissipated with the captain's exit. Rubbing her temples, the woman didn't realize the younger girl was still in the room until she felt the stare. Glancing up, she frowned. "Is something wrong, Matsumoto-san?"

"Call me Rangiku, and no, nothing is wrong." The girl was obviously not convinced if the frown on her face meant anything. Matsumoto decided it didn't and went back to scribbling on the latest report.

"You're mad at Shiro-chan because he was transferred?" It sounded more like a statement than a question so the blond chose not to respond. She wasn't in the mood for this. All she wanted was a nice bottle of sake and to teach the little brat a very painful lesson. "You shouldn't be, you know. It's not his fault."

"That still doesn't explain why I have to find out while going through his stuff. He doesn't even have the decency to tell me after all I've done for him." The fifth-division member looked intimidated by the sudden outburst, but didn't say anything until the woman was done.

"You know it's not like that, Rangiku. Shiro-chan's never been good at saying what he feels. That's why he usually insults people." A loving smile pulled at her lips and she chuckled. "He probably tried to tell you but didn't know how to." Matsumoto paused as the night of the attack on their mission came, seriously uninvited, to mind. He had tried to tell her something, but had never gotten to it. Guilt slowly trickled into her stomach. Hinamori must have picked up that she was right and nodded. "I've known him for most of my life. We grew up together. He would always try to avoid saying anything that would hurt me or Granny." Matsumoto quirked an eyebrow at that and the girl blushed. "We learned early on that the insults didn't really mean anything. But, he probably told me and not you because it doesn't affect me so much. If the situation was reversed, I would be the one who didn't know anything."

The teenager frowned. "I don't like it though." At the questioning glance from the older woman, Hinamori shook her head. "He's being transferred to keep someone else from becoming the captain of the twelfth division. The Central 46 doesn't want him taking control of it so they chose Shiro-chan to take charge."

"And what's keeping him from becoming captain of another division?"

"Supposedly, he only wants to be the captain of the twelfth division. He wants to completely combine the twelfth division and the Research and Development Institute, like it was a few decades ago. He's been gaining rank and can take the test soon. Central 46 doesn't want that madman having that much power."

Matsumoto didn't need to ask who the person was. After all, Kurotsuchi Mayuri's insanity was known throughout Seireirei.

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Swords clashed continuously in the background as Matsumoto watched over the latest training exercise. A wry smile pulled at her lips as she settled back on the roof and let the rising sun warm her. She usually tried as hard as she could to avoid overseeing training sessions, even going as far as to push the job on some unsuspecting underling. Now, the vast expanse of dirt seemed like an oasis in a dangerously dry desert. The atmosphere in the office hadn't lightened and the blond was on the verge of losing what was left of her sanity.

Renji and Kira had tried everything to improve her mood. The hangover she had had yesterday from one their attempts had only succeeded in getting her away from the office for a few hours. Hitsugaya had been grateful to have an excuse to send her away it seemed. He had never been this nice when she had had a hangover before. It seemed the rest of Seireitei noticed the strained relationship between them too if the sudden decrease in visitors said anything.

Haineko's presence gently rubbed against her mind, a wave of compassion floated through their link. Matsumoto smiled. Even the hellcat had become attached to the boy.

"Sleepin' again, Ran-chan?" The smooth voice pulled her out of her musings. Sitting up, she blinked as Gin's figure was silhouetted in the morning light. Unexpectedly, the hair on the back of her neck stood up and her muscles tensed. Frowning at her sudden fear of her childhood friend, the blond shook her head and smiled up at the silver-haired man.

"Gin. Why are you here?"

"Captains' business. I'm not 'llowed ta tell ya, Ran-chan." The grin on his face took on a slyer look. "Where's the boy-genius? Ya seem ta be attached at the hip lately." The mention of the white-haired boy brought back her dark musings and a shadow fell over her features. Gin noticed and smirked. "I guess ya found out 'bout the transfer, huh? My my! Anything I can do ta help? I'd hate ta see ya two separated after ya became such good friends." Matsumoto tried to ignore the touch of sarcasm in the man's voice and shook her head.

"Not unless you can make Central 46 change their decision. Though, Kurotsuchi probably isn't the best thing for Seireitei."

"Ya'd be surprised how easily Central 46 can be persuaded." The grin on his face was predatory as he looked over the rooftops toward the large building housing the lawmaking body of Soul Society. Matsumoto glanced up at him, frown covering her features.

"What do you mean?" Gin's eyes narrowed into slits as he stared at her.

"Ya'll see." He pulled at letter from his robes and handed it to her. "Give this ta the Mini Captain at the end of the week would ya? Bye bye, Ran-chan!" Without any warning, the man was gone, leaving the woman to stare at the folded paper in her hand.

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She had no idea what she was doing. She had gone insane -- completely and unexplainably insane! That was the only reason she would have even thought about this, let alone be standing here.

Taking a deep breath, Matsumoto looked up at the giant building housing the Research and Development Institute. It was a fairly new building compared to the others surrounding it. The Institute had only been created a little more than a century ago and looked out of place compared the millennia old structures around it.

She shivered. This was one the primary places in Seireitei that people avoided. As soon as she had gotten into the district that housed the building, she had automatically noticed the lack of people. Even standing right next to the giant lab, she couldn't sense any of the hundreds of shinigami that had the misfortune to work there.

This was probably in the top ten of the most stupid things she had done.

Shoving her fear deep down inside, she raised her hand to knock on the door. It took all her self-control to not scream in fear as it opened before she could even touch it. A very thin, scholarly man opened the door, his eyes roving over her frame. "I didn't know we were expecting anyone today."

"I'm not expected. I need to speak to Kurotsuchi- fukutaichou. I was told he would be here." The man's expression would have been comical in any other situation. He was clearly wondering why anyone not ordered to be here would willingly come to the lab and even worse, _want_ to speak to the head of the Institution. He must think she was off her rocker, something she was beginning to think herself.

"Alright. Follow me." Fighting off a shiver, Matsumoto stepped into the cold darkness of the lab. Her eyes took a moment to adjust to the soft blue glow of the room. Computers lined the walls of the first room, giving off the blue glow that was the only light in the dark building. As she entered, the shinigami working at the machines looked up in surprise. "This way please." They quickly exited the room and into a long hallway. At the end, a metal staircase that looked as if it spiraled all the way to the top was the only defining feature.

The thin man led her up several stories and through several more computer lined rooms. The farther they went, the less people there were. The darkness stretched one forever and the security heightened. Soon, every door was locked and only a retina scan would allow them to pass. Each room started to look more like something out of a horror movie and Matsumoto had to swallow bile after passing through a room with warped animals floating in tubes.

It was both with a sigh of relief and gut-wrenching worry that they came to the final room. Her guide knocked on the door and was ordered to enter by a hissing voice. Telling herself that both she and Kurotsuchi were lieutenants and equals didn't help dissipate her worry. The man was insane. She just hoped he was in a good mood and didn't decide to use her for his latest experiment. "Kurotsuchi-fukutaichou, Matsumoto-fukutaichou is here to see you." The blond wondered how the man had known her name, when the reason for her visit to this place ducked out from a walled-off section of the room.

"Oh? And for what do I owe this unexpected visit?" A cruel smile pulled at the man's lips and with a flick of his wrist, he dismissed the other shinigami. Matsumoto felt like screaming as the door and her only exit closed, leaving her alone with Seireitei's resident nutcase. Gathering what was left of her courage, she squared her shoulders and glared at the scientist. This only seemed to increase whatever enjoyment he was getting out of this meeting. A wicked gleam appeared in his eyes.

"Kurotsuchi- fukutaichou I..."

"Straight to business? That's not very good manners, especially since you stopped me in the middle of very important work. You might as well at least try and make small talk. No? Alright then. How about I show you what I was working on before you so rudely interrupted me." He held out a white, skeletal hand and the woman couldn't keep herself from shying away from it. There was no way in hell she was going near any of his experiments. Kurotsuchi frowned and withdrew his hand.

"Very well. Have it your way. What do you want?" The playful attitude had been replaced by an impatient one.

"I need you to withdraw your application for the captain's exam." The scientist quirked an eyebrow.

"And why would I do that, my dear? If I'm not mistaken, it's every shinigami's dream to become a captain. Why should I be denied the right to at least try?" The tone in his voice betrayed his confidence. He knew he would be made captain if he took the test. From the rumors Matsumoto had heard, there was no question about his skill, only his sanity. "Matsumoto-fukutaichou of the tenth division, I believe. Rumor has it that your little captain has been transferred to the twelfth." Anger flashed across the man's beady eyes and all signs of humor vanished. "Very odd, don't you think? Captains aren't usually subject to reassignments. What could Central 46 be thinking? Hmm?

"I hope you realize that, even if I did refuse to take the exam, your precious captain will still leave. Those bastards in the council don't want to give me chance to accomplish my dream! They're scared what will happen if I combine the twelfth and the institute like by dear friend Urahara did. They're scared of gaining power! Think of all the wondrous things I could accomplish once all these petty restrictions placed on me are gone. The only way to do that is by being a captain and I will not settle for anything but the twelfth division!" Kurotsuchi had begun pacing, hands moving wildly to accent his point. Matsumoto stepped back in fear, scared the man had finally lost it. But, as soon as it had started, the tantrum was over and she had those beady eyes on her again, scanning her as if she was one of his new projects.

"There is one way I know to make us both happy." The grin was back again, more devious than ever. "If you're willing, I can make sure we both get what we want and the simpletons in Central will have no choice but to keep the little brat in the tenth." Matsumoto felt a muscle in her face twitch at the disrespect for her captain, but wisely choose not to call the man out on the insubordination. "It's very easy, in fact. It will take almost no effort from you. The 'higher-ups' are obsessed with perfection. If something is not to their liking or not how it's supposed to be, they will do everything they can to stop it. We will use this flaw to our advantage. Do we have an agreement?" Every instinct in her body told her to get out of this hell NOW and not stop running until she was safe back in the tenth division's boundaries. She squashed the urge to listen to her body and nodded. This might be her only chance. "Very well, I'll..."

The man stopped as knocking resounded through the room and the scholarly shinigami from earlier opened the door. "Sir, Abarai Renji is here. He says he needs to talk to Matsumoto-fukutaichou immediately." The scientist frowned deeply and nodded.

"Fine." Turning back to the blond, Kurotsuchi smiled. "It seems other matters need your attention. I'll contact you tomorrow about our... arrangement." Without another word, the man pivoted on his heel and entered the walled off area but not before Matsumoto had seen what was behind it. The trip back was much faster, the lieutenant having to restrain herself from sprinting away from the room. The man was insane!

She finally returned to the first room and spotted Renji. The redhead was trying as hard as he could to not look anxious, but his stance only relaxed once they left the building. The man spun on her and grabbed her shoulders roughly. "What the hell did you think you were doing? Have you lost it?" Frowning at the insult, Matsumoto pulled his arms from her and shook her head.

"I needed to talk to him. He's the reason Hitsugaya-taichou is leaving. I thought I could convince him to give up on captaincy." Renji sighed in frustration and rubbed his eyes wearily.

"You have lost it." The small smile on the man's face took away from the bite of his words. "That man only cares about himself. Why would he want to help you.?" The blond woman shrugged. The less Renji knew about their transaction, the better. Whatever Kurotsuchi had in mind, it probably was something that many wouldn't consider legal. "Fine. C'mon. I'm sure you need a nice bottle of sake after being in that place. I know I do." Without waiting for a reply, the redhead grabbed hold of her wrist and began to drag her toward their favorite bar.

Before they turned the corner, Matsumoto spared one last look at the lab. She felt herself pale and shivered. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. It was too late to back out now, though. She let Renji order her drinks, hoping the alcohol would wash away the image of the young girl's body on the examination table, ready for whatever sick experiment Kurotsuchi was planning.


End file.
